Mean strain effects on the random cyclic strain-life relations of 0Cr18Ni10Ti pipe steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Yongxiang; Yang Bing

2005-01-01

Experimental study is performed on the mean strain effects on the random cyclic strain-life relations of the new nuclear material, 0Cr18Ni10Ti pipe steel. In order to save costs of specimens and tests, an improved maximum likelihood fatigue test method is applied to manage the present strain-controlled fatigue tests. Six straining ratios, respectively, -1, -0.52, 0.22, 0.029, 0.18, and 0.48, are applied to study the effects. Total 104 specimens are fatigued. Since the material exhibits an entirely relaxation effect of mean stress under the six ratios and, in addition, there is no effectively method for the description of the mean straining effects under this case, previous Zhao's random strain-life relations are therefore applied for effective characterization of the scattering test data under the six ratios on a basis of Coffin-Manson equation.Then the effects of the ratios are analyzed respectively on the average fatigue lives, the standard deviations of the logarithms of fatigue lives, and the fatigue lives under different survival probabilities and confidences. The results reveal that the ratios greater than zero exhibit a positive effect of about 1.3 to 1.6 times under the survival probability of 0.999 and the confidence of 95%. A negative effect is exhibited for the case of the ratios less than zero. In addition, the assessment of the effects from the sense of average fatigue lives might result in a wrong conclusion for the practice of higher reliabilities. The effects can be appropriately assessed from a probabilistic sense to take into account the average lives, the scattering regularity of test data, and the size of sampling. (author)

The effect of antibiotic use on prevalence of nosocomial vancomycin-resistant enterococci- an ecologic study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cornelius Remschmidt

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE are among the most common antimicrobial-resistant pathogens causing nosocomial infections. Although antibiotic use has been identified as a risk factor for VRE, it remains unclear which antimicrobial agents particularly facilitate VRE selection. Here, we assessed whether use of specific antimicrobial agents is independently associated with healthcare-associated (HA VRE rates in a university hospital setting in Berlin, Germany. Methods We conducted the study between January 2014 and December 2015 at the Charité-university hospital of Berlin, Germany. From the hospital pharmacy, we extracted data for all antibacterials for systemic use (anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC-classification J01 and calculated ward specific antibiotic consumption in defined daily doses (DDDs per 100 patient-days (PD. We used the microbiology laboratory database to identify all patients with isolation of invasive or non-invasive VRE and calculated HA-VRE incidence as nosocomial VRE-cases per 100 patients and HA-VRE incidence density as nosocomial VRE-cases per 1000 PD. We defined VRE isolates as hospital-acquired if they were identified three days or later after hospital admission and otherwise as community-acquired (CA-VRE. We performed univariable and multivariable regression analyses to estimate the association of the frequency of HA-VRE per month with antibiotic use and other parameters such as length of stay, type of ward or presence of at least one CA-VRE on ward. In a second analysis, we considered only patients with VRE infections. Results We included data from 204,054 patients with 948,380 PD from 61 wards. Overall, 1430 VRE-cases were identified of which 409 (28.6% were considered hospital-acquired (HA. We found that carbapenem use in the current month and prior-month use of glycopeptides increased the risk for HA-VRE by 1% per 1 DDD/100 PD and 3% per 1 DDD/100 PD, respectively. However, when only VRE

Strain and culture medium optimization for production enhancement of prodiginines from marine-derived Streptomyces sp. GQQ-10

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xueping; Zhang, Guojian; Zhu, Tianjiao; Li, Dehai; Gu, Qianqun

2012-09-01

A mutant (GQQ-M6) of a Sponge-Derived streptomyces sp. GQQ-10 obtained by UV-induced mutation was used for producing prodiginines (PGs). Single factor experiments and orthogonal array design (OAD) methods were employed for medium optimization. In the single factor method, the effects of soluble starch, glucose, soybean flour, yeast extract and sodium acetate on PGs production were investigated individually. In the subsequent OAD experiments, the concentrations of these 5 key nutritional components combined with salinity were further adjusted. The mutant strain GQQ-M6 gave a 2.2-fold higher PGs production than that of the parent strain; OAD experiments offered a PGs yield of 61mg L-1, which was 10 times higher than that of the initial GQQ-10 strain under the original cultivation mode.

Effects of mean strain on the random cyclic stress-strain relations of 0Cr18Ni10Ti pipe steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Yongxiang; Yang Bing

2005-01-01

Experimental study is performed for the effects of the mean strain on the random cyclic stress-strain relations of the new nuclear material, 0Cr18Ni10Ti pipe steel. From saving the size of specimens, an improved maximum likelihood fatigue test method is proposed to operate the present strain-controlled fatigue tests. Six straining ratios, -1, -0.52, -0.22, 0.029, 0.18, and 0.48, respectively, are applied to study the effects. Fatigue test has been carried out on totally 104 specimens. The test results reveal that the material exhibits a Masing behaviour and the saturation hysteresis loops under the six ratios hold an entirely relaxation effect of mean stress. There is no effectively method for the description of the mean straining effects under this case. Previous Zhao's random stress-strain relations are therefore applied to characterizing effectively the scattering test data under the six ratios on a basis of Ramberg-Osgood equation. Then the effects of the ratios are analyzed respectively on the average stress amplitudes, the standard deviations of the stress amplitudes, and the stress amplitudes under different survival probabilities and confidences. The results reveal that the ratios act a relatively decreasing effect to the stress amplitudes under higher survival probabilities and confidences. The strongest effect appears at the ratio of 0.029, and a weaker effect acts as the distance increase of the ratio from the zero. In addition, it is indicated that the effects from the sense of average fatigue lives might result in a wrong conclusion. The effects can be appropriately assessed from a probabilistic sense to take into account the scattering regularity of test data and the size of sampling. (author)

Novel Accurate Bacterial Discrimination by MALDI-Time-of-Flight MS Based on Ribosomal Proteins Coding in S10-spc-alpha Operon at Strain Level S10-GERMS

Science.gov (United States)

Tamura, Hiroto; Hotta, Yudai; Sato, Hiroaki

2013-08-01

Matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is one of the most widely used mass-based approaches for bacterial identification and classification because of the simple sample preparation and extremely rapid analysis within a few minutes. To establish the accurate MALDI-TOF MS bacterial discrimination method at strain level, the ribosomal subunit proteins coded in the S 10-spc-alpha operon, which encodes half of the ribosomal subunit protein and is highly conserved in eubacterial genomes, were selected as reliable biomarkers. This method, named the S10-GERMS method, revealed that the strains of genus Pseudomonas were successfully identified and discriminated at species and strain levels, respectively; therefore, the S10-GERMS method was further applied to discriminate the pathovar of P. syringae. The eight selected biomarkers (L24, L30, S10, S12, S14, S16, S17, and S19) suggested the rapid discrimination of P. syringae at the strain (pathovar) level. The S10-GERMS method appears to be a powerful tool for rapid and reliable bacterial discrimination and successful phylogenetic characterization. In this article, an overview of the utilization of results from the S10-GERMS method is presented, highlighting the characterization of the Lactobacillus casei group and discrimination of the bacteria of genera Bacillus and Sphingopyxis despite only two and one base difference in the 16S rRNA gene sequence, respectively.

Analytical and experimental studies on the strain rate effects in penetration of 10wt % ballistic gelatin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, L; Jia, Z; Ma, X L; Fan, Y R

2013-01-01

This work concentrates on modeling the super-elastic behavior of 10wt% ballistic gelatin at 4°C and the mechanical responses at quasi-static and high-speed penetrations. Uniaxial compression and simple shearing experiments were carried out to determine the moduli in Mooney-Rivlin model describing the elastic behavior of gelatin at low strain rates. The failure mode is determined to be elastic fracture as the tensile stretch ratio exceeds a critical value. For high compression strain rates, the available results from the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) experiments for 10wt% gelatin were carefully examined and assessed. Linear relationship between the moduli and the strain rate is established. Based on these material parameters, an analytic solution of stress for the quasi-static and quasi-dynamic expansion of spherical cavity in gelatin is derived. As a consequence, the work needed to open unit volume of cavity, P s , which is the key parameter in studying penetration problems, is linearly increasing with the characteristic strain rate. The application of P s to our quasi-static and high-speed penetration experiments is discussed and assessed

Hamstring muscle strains in professional football players: a 10-year review.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Marcus C C W; Zarins, Bertram; Powell, John W; Kenyon, Charles D

2011-04-01

Investigations into hamstring strain injuries at the elite level exist in sports such as Australian Rules football, rugby, and soccer, but no large-scale study exists on the incidence and circumstances surrounding these injuries in the National Football League (NFL). Injury rates will vary between different player positions, times in the season, and across different playing situations. Descriptive epidemiology study. Between 1989 and 1998, injury data were prospectively collected by athletic trainers for every NFL team and recorded in the NFL's Injury Surveillance System. Data collected included team, date of injury, activity the player was engaged in at the time of injury, injury severity, position played, mechanism of injury, and history of previous injury. Injury rates were reported in injuries per athlete-exposure (A-E). An athlete-exposure was defined as 1 athlete participating in either 1 practice or 1 game. Over the 10-year study period 1716 hamstring strains were reported for an injury rate (IR) of 0.77 per 1000 A-E. More than half (51.3%) of hamstring strains occurred during the 7-week preseason. The preseason practice IR was significantly elevated compared with the regular-season practice IR (0.82/1000 A-E and 0.18/1000 A-E, respectively). The most commonly injured positions were the defensive secondary, accounting for 23.1% of the injuries; the wide receivers, accounting for 20.8%; and special teams, constituting 13.0% of the injuries in the study. Hamstring strains are a considerable cause of disability in football, with the majority of injuries occurring during the short preseason. In particular, the speed position players, such as the wide receivers and defensive secondary, as well as players on the special teams units, are at elevated risk for injury. These positions and situations with a higher risk of injury provide foci for preventative interventions.

Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudoalteromonas sp. Strain XI10 Isolated from the Brine-Seawater Interface of Erba Deep in the Red Sea

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Guishan; Haroon, Mohamed; Zhang, Ruifu; Hikmawan, Tyas I.; Stingl, Ulrich

2016-01-01

Pseudoalteromonas sp. strain XI10 was isolated from the brine-seawater interface of Erba Deep in the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of strain XI10, a gammaproteobacterium that synthesizes polysaccharides for biofilm formation when grown in liquid culture.

Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudoalteromonas sp. Strain XI10 Isolated from the Brine-Seawater Interface of Erba Deep in the Red Sea

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Guishan

2016-03-10

Pseudoalteromonas sp. strain XI10 was isolated from the brine-seawater interface of Erba Deep in the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of strain XI10, a gammaproteobacterium that synthesizes polysaccharides for biofilm formation when grown in liquid culture.

Genome sequencing and annotation of multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB PR10 strain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd Zakihalani A. Halim

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Here, we report the draft genome sequence and annotation of a multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain PR10 (MDR-TB PR10 isolated from a patient diagnosed with tuberculosis. The size of the draft genome MDR-TB PR10 is 4.34 Mbp with 65.6% of G + C content and consists of 4637 predicted genes. The determinants were categorized by RAST into 400 subsystems with 4286 coding sequences and 50 RNAs. The whole genome shotgun project has been deposited at DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank under the accession number CP010968. Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Genome, MDR, Extrapulmonary

Experimental reinfection of BALB/c mice with different recombinant type I/III strains of Toxoplasma gondii: involvement of IFN-gamma and IL-10.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandão, Geane Peroni; Melo, Maria Norma; Gazzinelli, Ricardo Tostes; Caetano, Braulia Costa; Ferreira, Adriana Melo; Silva, Letícia Azevedo; Vitor, Ricardo Wagner Almeida

2009-03-01

To assess reinfection of BALB/c mice with different Toxoplasma gondii strains, the animals were prime infected with the non-virulent D8 strain and challenged with virulent recombinant strains. Thirty days after challenge, brain cysts were obtained from surviving BALB/c mice and inoculated in Swiss mice to obtain tachyzoites for DNA extraction and PCR-RFLP analysis to distinguish the different T. gondii strains present in possible co-infections. Anti-Toxoplasma immune responses were evaluated in D8-primed BALB/c mice by detecting IFN-gamma and IL-10 produced by T cells and measuring immunoglobulin levels in serum samples. PCR-RFLP demonstrated that BALB/c mice were reinfected with the EGS strain at 45 days post prime infection (dpi) and with the EGS and CH3 strains at 180 dpi. High levels of IFN-gamma were detected after D8 infection, with no significant difference between 45 and 180-day intervals. However, higher IL-10 levels and higher plasmatic IgG1 and IgA were detected from samples obtained 180 days after infection. BALB/c mice were susceptible to reinfection with different recombinant T. gondii strains and this susceptibility correlated with enhancement of IL-10 production.

Complete genome sequence of Vibrio anguillarum strain NB10, a virulent isolate from the Gulf of Bothnia.

Science.gov (United States)

Holm, Kåre Olav; Nilsson, Kristina; Hjerde, Erik; Willassen, Nils-Peder; Milton, Debra L

2015-01-01

Vibrio anguillarum causes a fatal hemorrhagic septicemia in marine fish that leads to great economical losses in aquaculture world-wide. Vibrio anguillarum strain NB10 serotype O1 is a Gram-negative, motile, curved rod-shaped bacterium, isolated from a diseased fish on the Swedish coast of the Gulf of Bothnia, and is slightly halophilic. Strain NB10 is a virulent isolate that readily colonizes fish skin and intestinal tissues. Here, the features of this bacterium are described and the annotation and analysis of its complete genome sequence is presented. The genome is 4,373,835 bp in size, consists of two circular chromosomes and one plasmid, and contains 3,783 protein-coding genes and 129 RNA genes.

Biological assay of attenuated strain NADL-2 and virulent strain NADL-8 of porcine parvovirus.

Science.gov (United States)

Mengeling, W L; Pejsak, Z; Paul, P S

1984-11-01

Attenuated strain NADL-2 and virulent strain NADL-8 of porcine parvovirus (PPV) were titrated in vivo and in vitro under similar conditions to provide a better understanding of some of the factors involved in virulence of PPV in causing maternal reproductive failure of swine. Both strains cause fetal death when they are injected directly into fetal fluids, but only strain NADL-8 does so when administered to pregnant swine. The strains were tested for their hemagglutinating activity (HA), median cell culture infective dose (CCID50), median fetal infective dose (FID50), and median fetal lethal dose (FLD50). The FID50 and FLD50 were determined by injecting virus directly into the amniotic fluid of fetuses in utero at 44 +/- 2 days of gestation and collecting the fetuses 15 +/- 1 days later. Both strains had an HA titer of 64, suggesting that there is a similar number of virions in stock preparations. However, other measurements differed markedly. The CCID50, FID50, and FLD50 were 10(5.5), 10(3.5), and 10(0.5), respectively, for strain NADL-2, and 10(4.5), 10(7.7), and 10(6.3), respectively, for strain NADL-8. Collectively, the values indicate that more than 10,000 times as much strain NADL-2 would need to reach the conceptus transplacentally to establish infection. These observations may help to explain the different consequences of oronasal exposure of pregnant swine to these strains of PPV.

Experimental reinfection of BALB/c mice with different recombinant type I/III strains of Toxoplasma gondii: involvement of IFN-³ and IL-10

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geane Peroni Brandão

2009-03-01

Full Text Available To assess reinfection of BALB/c mice with different Toxoplasma gondii strains, the animals were prime infected with the non-virulent D8 strain and challenged with virulent recombinant strains. Thirty days after challenge, brain cysts were obtained from surviving BALB/c mice and inoculated in Swiss mice to obtain tachyzoites for DNA extraction and PCR-RFLP analysis to distinguish the different T. gondii strains present in possible co-infections. Anti-Toxoplasma immune responses were evaluated in D8-primed BALB/c mice by detecting IFN-³ and IL-10 produced by T cells and measuring immunoglobulin levels in serum samples. PCR-RFLP demonstrated that BALB/c mice were reinfected with the EGS strain at 45 days post prime infection (dpi and with the EGS and CH3 strains at 180 dpi. High levels of IFN-³ were detected after D8 infection, with no significant difference between 45 and 180-day intervals. However, higher IL-10 levels and higher plasmatic IgG1 and IgA were detected from samples obtained 180 days after infection. BALB/c mice were susceptible to reinfection with different recombinant T. gondii strains and this susceptibility correlated with enhancement of IL-10 production.

Virulence in pigs of vPader10 rescued from an infectious cDNA clone of the CSFV strain Paderborn

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis, Martin Barfred; Nielsen, Jens; Uttenthal, Åse

The BAC clone, pBeloPader10, contains a complete cDNA of the CSFV strain Paderborn. Virus, named vPader10, was rescued from this construct by electroporation of RNA transcripts into porcine PK15 cells. To further study the characteristics of vPader10, we evaluated the virulence of this virus...

Double blind, placebo controlled trial of two probiotic strains in interleukin 10 knockout mice and mechanistic link with cytokine balance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McCarthy, J.; O'Mahony, L.; O'Callaghan, L.; Sheil, B.; Vaughan, E.E.; Fitzsimons, N.A.; Fitzgibbon, J.; O'Sullivan, G.C.; Kiely, B.; Collins, J.K.; Shanahan, F.

2003-01-01

Background: Prophylactic efficacy against colitis following lactobacillus consumption in interleukin 10 (IL-10) knockout ( KO) mice has been reported. Whether this applies equally to other probiotic strains is unknown, and the mechanism is unclear. Aims: ( 1) To compare the effect of feeding

Effect of strain rate and stress triaxiality on tensile behavior of Titanium alloy Ti-10-2-3 at elevated temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bobbili, Ravindranadh, E-mail: ravindranadh@dmrl.drdo.in; Madhu, Vemuri

2016-06-14

In this study, Split hopkinson tension bar (SHTB) has been employed to investigate the dynamic tensile flow behavior of Ti-10-2-3 alloy at high strain rates and elevated temperatures. The combined effect of stress triaxiality, strain rate and temperature and on the tensile behavior of the alloy was evaluated. Johnson-Cook (J-C) constitutive and fracture models were developed based on high strain rate tensile data. A modified Johnson–Cook model was established and proved to have high accuracy. A comparative assessment has been done to confirm the accuracy of modified J–C model based on finite element method (FEM). The improved model provides better description on the influence of equivalent plastic strain rate and temperature on the plastic flow. The simulation results proved to be in good agreement with the experimental data. The fracture surfaces of specimens tested under various strain rates and temperatures were studied under scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Stress-strain properties of railway steel at strain rates of upto 105 per second

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashmi, M.S.J.; Islam, M.N.

1985-01-01

This paper presents the stress-strain characteristics of railway steel at strain rates of up to 10 5 /s at room temperature determined by a new technique. In determining the results, account has been taken of the strain-rate variation, the total strain and the strain rate history. The effect of friction, material inertia and temperature rise is also assessed and an empirical constitutive equation describing the strain-rate and strain sensitive flow stress for this type of steel is proposed. (orig.)

Genome Sequence of Acidovorax avenae Strain T10_61 Associated with Sugarcane Red Stripe in Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Fontana, Cecilia A.; Bassi, Daniela; Puglisi, Edoardo; Salazar, Sergio M.; Vignolo, Graciela M.; Coccocelli, Pier S.

2016-01-01

Red stripe of sugarcane in Argentina is a bacterial disease caused by Acidovorax avenae. The genome sequence from the first isolate of this bacterium in Argentina is presented here. The draft genome of the A. avenae T10_61 strain contains 5,646,552 bp and has a G+C content of 68.6 mol%. PMID:26847889

Strain measurement technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

The 10 contributions are concerned with selected areas of application, such as strain measurements in wood, rubber/metal compounds, sets of strain measurements on buildings, reinforced concrete structures without gaps, pipes buried in the ground and measurements of pressure fluctuations. To increase the availability and safety of plant, stress analyses were made on gas turbine rotors with HT-DMS or capacitive HT-DMS (high temperature strain measurements). (DG) [de

T-cell involvement in adoptive transfer of line 10 tumor immunity in strain 2 guinea pigs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

de Jong, W.H.; Steerenberg, P.A.; van de Plas, M.M.; Kruizinga, W.; Ruitenberg, J.

1985-01-01

Several aspects of adoptive transfer of tumor immunity were studied in the line 10 hepatocarcinoma in the syngeneic Sewall-Wright strain 2 guinea pig. In particular, the need for cooperation between donor and recipient T-cells was investigated. Donor immune spleen cells remained immunologically capable of inducing tumor rejection for at least 160 days after adoptive transfer. Irradiated (1,000 rad) or mitomycin-treated immune spleen cells lacked tumor-rejection activity, which is indicative of the necessity for in vivo proliferation after adoptive transfer of immunity. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of tumor immunity was abrogated after treatment of the line 10 immune spleen cells with rabbit anti-guinea pig-thymocyte serum (ATS) plus complement. The role of recipient T-cells was investigated in strain 2 guinea pigs which were T-cell depleted by thymectomy, irradiation, and bone marrow reconstitution (T-XBM animals). Severe suppression of T-cell activity was present at 2 and 6 weeks after irradiation and bone marrow reconstitution. At 10 weeks nonspecific T-cell activity was partially restored. The induction of antigen-specific responses, measured by delayed-type hypersensitivity skin testing in vivo and antigenic stimulation in vitro, was suppressed at 2 weeks after irradiation and bone marrow reconstitution. Additional in vivo treatment of T-XBM animals with a rabbit ATS improved the T-cell depletion only moderately. Tumor growth and tumor rejection after adoptive transfer of immunity were equal in normal and T-cell-deprived recipient animals, thus indicating that recipient T-cells are not needed for tumor rejection after adoptive transfer of line 10 tumor immunity

Chemical equilibrium of hydrogen and aqueous solutions of 1 : 1 bicarbonate and formate salts with a common cation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Engel, D.C.; Versteeg, G.F.; Swaaij, W.P.M. van

1997-01-01

The chemical equilibrium of hydrogen and aqueous solutions of 1:1 bicarbonate and formate salts with a common cation has been investigated in an intensively stirred batch reactor: MHCO3(aq) + H2(aq) ↔ MOOCH(aq) + H2O(l) This was accomplished for the sodium (M = Na), potassium (M = K) and ammonium (M

Stress strain flow curves for Cu-OFP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandstroem, Rolf; Hallgren, Josefin

2009-04-01

Stress strain curves of oxygen free copper alloyed with phosphorus Cu-OFP have been determined in compression and tension. The compression tests were performed at room temperature for strain rates between 10 -5 and 10 -3 1/s. The tests in tension covered the temperature range 20 to 175 deg C for strain rates between 10 -7 and 5x10 -3 1/s. The results in compression and tension were close for similar strain rates. A model for stress strain curves has been formulated using basic dislocation mechanisms. The model has been set up in such a way that fitting of parameters to the curves is avoided. By using a fundamental creep model as a basis a direct relation to creep data has been established. The maximum engineering flow stress in tension is related to the creep stress giving the same strain rate. The model reproduces the measured flow curves as function of temperature and strain rate in the investigated interval. The model is suitable to use in finite-element computations of structures in Cu-OFP

Hydrogen trapping energy levels and hydrogen diffusion at high and low strain rates (~10{sup 5} s{sup −1} and 10{sup −7} s{sup −1}) in lean duplex stainless steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silverstein, R., E-mail: barrav@post.bgu.ac.il; Eliezer, D.

2016-09-30

Duplex stainless steels (DSS) alloys are high strength steels combined with ductility and excellent resistance to stress corrosion cracking, which makes them attractive for the pressure vessels or underwater pipelines industries. Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) is caused by the action of hydrogen in combination with residual or applied stress and can lead to the mechanical degradation of a material. Dynamic and quasi-static experiments were conducted at room temperature and strain rates of 10{sup 5} s{sup −1} and 10{sup −7} s{sup −1} on gas-phase hydrogen charged DSS. Hydrogen trapping in the various defects and its effect on the mechanical properties are discussed in details. A linear model of Lee and Lee was applied to calculate the trap activation energies. It was found that lower strain rates (~10{sup −7} s{sup −1}) will create less deep hydrogen trapping energies values; ~40% lower than in non-loaded sample. In addition, higher dynamic pressure will create higher trapping energy sites for hydrogen. Based on our experimental studies we developed an analytical model for hydrogen trapping. We have found that the strain rate has a direct influence on both hydrogen diffusion and hydrogen potential trapping sites. During deformation processes created at low strain rates (~10{sup −7} s{sup −1}) hydrogen has enough time to migrate with dislocations from deeper potential trapping sites to lower potential trapping sites.

Experimental infection of Leishmania (L. chagasi in a cell line derived from Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera:Psychodidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felio J Bello

2005-10-01

Full Text Available The present work describes the in vitro infection of a cell line Lulo, derived from Lutzomyia longipalpis embryonic tissue, by Leishmania chagasi promastigotes. This infection process is compared with a parallel one developed using the J774 cell line. The L. chagasi MH/CO/84/CI-044B strain was used for experimental infection in two cell lines. The cells were seeded on glass coverslips in 24-well plates to reach a final number of 2 x 10(5 cells/well. Parasites were added to the adhered Lulo and J774 cells in a 10:1 ratio and were incubated at 28 and 37ºC respectively. After 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 days post-infection, the cells were extensively washed with PBS, fixed with methanol, and stained with Giemsa. The number of internalized parasites was determined by counting at least 400 cultured cells on each coverslip. The results showed continuous interaction between L. chagasi promastigotes with the cell lines. Some ultrastructural characteristics of the amastigote forms were observed using transmission electron microscopy. The highest percentage of infection in Lulo cells was registered on day 6 post-infection (29.6% and on day 4 in the J774 cells (51%. This work shows similarities and differences in the L. chagasi experimental infection process in the two cell lines. However, Lulo cells emerge as a new model to study the life-cycle of this parasite.

Short-period strain (0.1-105 s): Near-source strain field for an earthquake (M L 3.2) near San Juan Bautista, California

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, M. J. S.; Borcherdt, R. D.; Linde, A. T.

1986-10-01

Measurements of dilational earth strain in the frequency band 25-10-5 Hz have been made on a deep borehole strainmeter installed near the San Andreas fault. These data are used to determine seismic radiation fields during nuclear explosions, teleseisms, local earthquakes, and ground noise during seismically quiet times. Strains of less than 10-10 on these instruments can be clearly resolved at short periods (< 10 s) and are recorded with wide dynamic range digital recorders. This permits measurement of the static and dynamic strain variations in the near field of local earthquakes. Noise spectra for earth strain referenced to 1 (strain)2/Hz show that strain resolution decreases at about 10 dB per decade of frequency from -150 dB at 10-4 Hz to -223 dB at 10 Hz. Exact expressions are derived to relate the volumetric strain and displacement field for a homogeneous P wave in a general viscoelastic solid as observed on colocated dilatometers and seismometers. A rare near-field recording of strain and seismic velocity was obtained on May 26, 1984, from an earthquake (ML 3.2) at a hypocentral distance of 3.2 km near the San Andreas fault at San Juan Bautista, California. While the data indicate no precursory strain release at the 5 × 10-11 strain level, a coseismic strain release of 1.86 nanostrain was observed. This change in strain is consistent with that calculated from a simple dislocation model of the event. Ground displacement spectra, determined from the downhole strain data and instrument-corrected surface seismic data, suggest that source parameters estimated from surface recordings may be contaminated by amplification effects in near-surface low-velocity materials.

Safety study of the Bio-10-SAD Bern strain of the rabies virus on the rhesus macaque monkey species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimír Vrzal

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Based on a WHO recommendation, residual pathogenicity of the Bio-10-SAD Bern rabies virus strain (component of the Lysvulpen por. ad us. vet. vaccine was tested on rhesus macaque monkeys. Each of the ten monkeys, females, two years old, was administered orally 2 ml × 109 TCID50 of the Bio-10-SAD Bern rabies strain. The animals were monitored for 90 days. Subsequently, the animals were sacrificed and their brains were examined for presence of the vaccination rabies virus by the immunofluorescence and PCR methods. The occurrence of anti-rabies antibodies prior to and following administration of the vaccination rabies virus was also evaluated. No clinical signs of rabies were observed nor did any of the animals die of rabies following application of the virus. No rabies was detected in the study animals by post mortem examination. All of the 10 animals developed anti-rabies antibodies during the 90 days following administration of the rabies virus. It can be concluded, that Bio-10-SAD Bern virus administered at a dose equal to the tenfold maximum dose specified for field uses is safe to monkeys of the rhesus macaque species. This study is the first of its type performed in rhesus macaque monkey species.

Production of lipids in 10 strains of Chlorella and Parachlorella, and enhanced lipid productivity in Chlorella vulgaris

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pribyl, Pavel; Cepak, Vladislav [Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Trebon (Czech Republic). Algological Centre and Centre for Bioindication and Revitalization; Zachleder, Vilem [Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Trebon (Czech Republic). Lab. of the Cell Cycles of Algae

2012-04-15

We tested 10 different Chlorella and Parachlorella strains under lipid induction growth conditions in autotrophic laboratory cultures. Between tested strains, substantial differences in both biomass and lipid productivity as well as in the final content of lipids were found. The most productive strain (Chlorella vulgaris CCALA 256) was subsequently studied in detail. The availability of nitrates and/or phosphates strongly influenced growth and accumulation of lipids in cells by affecting cell division. Nutrient limitation substantially enhanced lipid productivity up to a maximal value of 1.5 g l{sup -1} day{sup -1}. We also demonstrated the production of lipids through large-scale cultivation of C. vulgaris in a thin layer photobioreactor, even under suboptimal conditions. After 8 days of cultivation, maximal lipid productivity was 0.33 g l{sup -1} day{sup -1}, biomass density was 5.7 g l{sup -1} dry weight and total lipid content was more than 30% dry weight. C. vulgaris lipids comprise fatty acids with a relatively high degree of saturation compared with canola oil offering a possible alternative to the use of higher plant oils. (orig.)

Peptide-derivatized SB105-A10 dendrimer inhibits the infectivity of R5 and X4 HIV-1 strains in primary PBMCs and cervicovaginal histocultures.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabella Bon

Full Text Available Peptide dendrimers are a class of molecules that exhibit a large array of biological effects including antiviral activity. In this report, we analyzed the antiviral activity of the peptide-derivatized SB105-A10 dendrimer, which is a tetra-branched dendrimer synthetized on a lysine core, in activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs that were challenged with reference and wild-type human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 strains. SB105-A10 inhibited infections by HIV-1 X4 and R5 strains, interfering with the early phases of the viral replication cycle. SB105-A10 targets heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs and, importantly, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR assay revealed that SB105-A10 strongly binds gp41 and gp120, most likely preventing HIV-1 attachment/entry through multiple mechanisms. Interestingly, the antiviral activity of SB105-A10 was also detectable in an organ-like structure of human cervicovaginal tissue, in which SB105-A10 inhibited the HIV-1ada R5 strain infection without altering the tissue viability. These results demonstrated the strong antiviral activity of SB105-A10 and suggest a potential microbicide use of this dendrimer to prevent the heterosexual transmission of HIV-1.

Trace level detection of explosives in solution using leidenfrost phenomenon assisted thermal desorption ambient mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Subhrakanti; Mandal, Mridul Kanti; Chen, Lee Chuin; Ninomiya, Satoshi; Shida, Yasuo; Hiraoka, Kenzo

2013-01-01

The present paper demonstrates the detection of explosives in solution using thermal desorption technique at a temperature higher than Leidenfrost temperature of the solvent in combination with low temperature plasma (LTP) ionization. Leidenfrost temperature of a solvent is the temperature above which the solvent droplet starts levitation instead of splashing when placed on a hot metallic surface. During this desorption process, slow and gentle solvent evaporation takes place, which leads to the pre-concentration of less-volatile explosive molecules in the droplet and the explosive molecules are released at the last moment of droplet evaporation. The limits of detection for explosives studied by using this thermal desorption LTP ionization method varied in a range of 1 to 10 parts per billion (ppb) using a droplet volume of 20 μL (absolute sample amount 90-630 fmol). As LTP ionization method was applied and ion-molecule reactions took place in ambient atmosphere, various ion-molecule adduct species like [M+NO2](-), [M+NO3](-), [M+HCO3](-), [M+HCO4](-) were generated together with [M-H](-) peak. Each peak was unambiguously identified using 'Exactive Orbitrap' mass spectrometer in negative ionization mode within 3 ppm deviation compared to its exact mass. This newly developed technique was successfully applied to detect four explosives contained in the pond water and soil sample with minor sample pre-treatment and the explosives were detected with ppb levels. The present method is simple, rapid and can detect trace levels of explosives with high specificity from solutions.

Relating high-temperature flow stress of AISI 316 stainless steel to strain and strain rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matteazzi, S.; Paitti, G.; Boerman, D.

1982-01-01

The authors have performed an experimental determination of tensile stress-strain curves for different strain rates (4.67 x 10 - 5 , 4.67 x 10 - 2 s - 1 ) and for a variety of temperature conditions (773-1073 K) of AISI 316H stainless steel (annealed conditions) and also a computer analysis of the experimental curves using a fitting program which takes into consideration different constitutive relations describing the plastic flow behaviour of the metals. The results show that the materials tested are clearly affected by strain rate only at the highest temperature investigated (1073 K) and that the plastic strain is the more significant variable. Of the constitutive equations considered, Voce's relation gives the best fit for the true stress-time-strain curves. However, the Ludwik and Ludwigson equations also provide a description of the experimental data, whereas Hollomon's equation does not suitably characterize AISI 316H stainless steel and can be applied with some accuracy only at 1073 K. (author)

Evaluation of strain-rate sensitivity of ion-irradiated austenitic steel using strain-rate jump nanoindentation tests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kasada, Ryuta, E-mail: r-kasada@iae.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Kyoto (Japan); Konishi, Satoshi [Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Kyoto (Japan); Hamaguchi, Dai; Ando, Masami; Tanigawa, Hiroyasu [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Rokkasho, Aomori (Japan)

2016-11-01

Highlights: • We examined strain-rate jump nanoindentation on ion-irradiated stainless steel. • We observed irradiation hardening of the ion-irradiated stainless steel. • We found that strain-rate sensitivity parameter was slightly decreased after the ion-irradiation. - Abstract: The present study investigated strain-rate sensitivity (SRS) of a single crystal Fe–15Cr–20Ni austenitic steel before and after 10.5 MeV Fe{sup 3+} ion-irradiation up to 10 dpa at 300 °C using a strain-rate jump (SRJ) nanoindentation test. It was found that the SRJ nanoindentation test is suitable for evaluating the SRS at strain-rates from 0.001 to 0.2 s{sup −1}. Indentation size effect was observed for depth dependence of nanoindentation hardness but not the SRS. The ion-irradiation increased the hardness at the shallow depth region but decreased the SRS slightly.

Behavior of quenched and tempered steels under high strain rate compression loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, L.W.; Seifert, K.; Abdel-Malek, S.

1997-01-01

Two quenched and tempered steels were tested under compression loading at strain rates of ε = 2.10 2 s -1 and ε = 2.10 3 s -1 . By applying the thermal activation theory, the flow stress at very high strain rates of 10 5 to 10 6 s -1 is derived from low temperature and high strain rate tests. Dynamic true stress - true strain behaviour presents, that stress increases with increasing strain until a maximum, then it decreases. Because of the adiabatic process under dynamic loading the maximum flow stress will occur at a lower strain if the strain rate is increased. Considering strain rate, strain hardening, strain rate hardening and strain softening, a constitutive equation with different additive terms is successfully used to describe the behaviour of material under dynamic compression loading. Results are compared with other models of constitutive equations. (orig.)

Vector competence of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) for the DEN2-FJ10 and DEN2-FJ11 strains of the dengue 2 virus in Fujian, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiao-Xia; Li, Chun-Xiao; Zhang, Ying-Mei; Xing, Dan; Dong, Yan-De; Zhang, Heng-Duan; Qin, Cheng-Feng; Zhao, Tong-Yan

2016-09-01

Dengue is an acute, emerging, infectious disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes that has become a serious global public health problem. The DEN2-FJ10 and DEN2-FJ11 strains of the dengue 2 virus were originally isolated from the serum of a patient with dengue fever in Fujian Province, China, in 1999. Our data provide the first assessment of the vector competence of Aedes mosquitoes with respect to the DEN2-FJ10 and DEN2-FJ11 strains of the dengue virus. There were significant differences in the replication rates of these two viral strains in Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti (P0.05). In summary, our results indicate that Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti mosquitoes are moderately competent vectors of the DEN2-FJ10 and DEN2-FJ11 strains of the dengue virus and provide the first evidence of the effect of these two viral strains on the vector competence of mosquitoes in China. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High strain rate studies in rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grady, D.

1977-01-01

Dynamic compression studies using high velocity impact are usually considered to involve a catastrophic process of indeterminate loading rate by which a material is brough to a shock compressed state. Although this is frequently the case, methods are also available to control the rate of strain during the shock compression process. One of the most accurate of these methods makes use of the anomalous nonlinear elastic property of glass to transform an initial shock or step wave input into a ramp wave of known amplitude and duration. Fused silica is the most carefully calibrated material for this purpose and, when placed between the test specimen and the impact projectile, can provide loading strain rates in the range of 10 4 /s to 10 6 /s for final stress states of approximately 3.9 GPa or less.Ramp wave compression experiments have been conducted on dolomite at strain rates of 3 x 10 4 /s. Both initial yielding and subsequent deformation at this strain rate agrees well with previous shock wave studies (epsilon-dotapprox.10 6 /s) and differs substantially from quasi-static measurements (epsilon-dotapprox.10 -4 /s). The ramp wave studies have also uncovered a pressure-induced phase transition in dolomite initiating at 4.0 GPa

Effect of strengthening mechanisms on cold workability and instantaneous strain hardening behavior during grain refinement of AA 6061-10 wt.% TiO2 composite prepared by mechanical alloying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivasankaran, S.; Sivaprasad, K.; Narayanasamy, R.; Iyer, Vijay Kumar

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → Various strengthening mechanisms such as solid solution, grain size, precipitate, dislocation and dispersion strengthening promoted yield strength of the composites → The 5 h sintered composite yielded a large plastic strain (23%) at ambient temperature. → The domination of interparticle friction effects, grain size and dislocation strengthening diminished the deformation capacity of the composites greater than 5 h of milling. → Ultra-fine grained composite (40 h) yielded a high strength (>1000 MPa). → The proposed instantaneous new Poisson's ratio and the instantaneous strain hardening index used to study the extent of plastic zone and strain levels of the composite. - Abstract: The mechanical alloying (MA) of AA 6061 alloy reinforced with 10 wt.% fine anatase-titania composites powder milled with different timings (1, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 h) was cold consolidated and sintered. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of microstructure and the various strengthening mechanisms such as solid solution, grain size, precipitate, dislocation and dispersion strengthening during grain refinement of AA 6061-10 wt.% TiO 2 composite via MA on cold working and strain hardening behavior. The sintered composite preforms were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope. The strengthening mechanisms were estimated by using simplified models available in the literatures. The evaluation of cold deformation behavior under triaxial stress condition through room temperature cold-upsetting tests (incremental loads) was studied by correlating the strengthening mechanisms. Among the developed strengthening mechanisms the grain size and dislocation strengthening mechanisms diminished the deformation capacity of the composites. The strain hardening behavior was also examined by proposing instantaneous strain hardening index (n i ). The value of maximum instantaneous strain

Medical care and organisation at the 2012 Roskilde Music Festival: a prospective observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Stagelund, S; Jans, Ø; Nielsen, K; Jans, H; Wildgaard, K

2014-10-01

Music festivals, with a mix of music, alcohol and camping at the festival site combined with low hygiene, have become an integral part of society and attracts large numbers of guests. Our study was performed in order to increase the very limited knowledge on health-care issues and organisation of major music festivals. Pre-defined illness and injury categories were constructed based on categories previously reported from music festivals. We prospectively recorded patient presentations to the Medical Health Care Organisation (MHCO) at the 2012 Roskilde Festival. During 10 days, more than 130,000 guests and volunteers attended the 2012 Roskilde Festival. Ten thousand six hundred thirty patient presentations were registered between the 30th of June and 9th of July 2012 by the MHCO. The majority of patient presentations, 6919, could be handled by first-aid volunteers with different levels of training. The remaining 3473 patient presentations were assessed to require further health-care competencies or additional resources such as prescriptions, medication or suturing. Two hundred thirty-eight patient presentations were triaged to a designated observation area. Two hundred sixty patients were referred to a local hospital, a general practitioner or a dentist. The overall patient presentation rate was 72/1000 attendees, and the transport-to-hospital rate was 1.8/1000 attendees. Our study demonstrates that illnesses and injuries are frequent, although mostly minor, in this normally low-risk population consisting of primarily young and healthy guests. However, comparison with other recent events was difficult as only limited data have been published from other music festivals. Future festivals should publish similar data. © 2014 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus aryabhattai Strain PHB10, a Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate)-Accumulating Bacterium Isolated from Domestic Sewerage.

Science.gov (United States)

Balakrishna Pillai, Aneesh; Jaya Kumar, Arjun; Thulasi, Kavitha; Reghunathan, Dinesh; Prasannakumar, Manoj; Kumarapillai, Harikrishnan

2017-10-12

Bacillus aryabhattai PHB10 is a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)-accumulating bacterium isolated from domestic sewerage. Here, we report the 4.19-Mb draft genome sequence, with 4,050 protein-coding genes and a G+C content of 37.5%. This sequence will be helpful in the study of the high-level PHB accumulation mechanism of the strain. Copyright © 2017 Balakrishna Pillai et al.

Production, purification and characterization of thermostable α-amylase from soil isolate Bacillus sp. strain B-10

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravindra Nath Singh

2016-04-01

Full Text Available A bacterial strain B-10 that produces α-amylase was isolated from compost and kitchen waste receiving agricultural soil. Based on microbiological and biochemical tests the isolate B-10 was identified as Bacillus sp. Alpha-amylase produced by this isolate was purified by (NH42SO4 precipitation and DEAE cellulose ion-exchange chromatography showing 15.91 and 48.21 fold purification, respectively. SDS-PAGE of the purified enzyme confirmed the purification and monomeric nature of the enzyme. The purified α-amylase showed maximum activity at pH 7 and temperature 50°C. The enzyme was significantly active in the temperature range of 30-60°C for the studied period of 2 h. During the incubation of purified enzyme at pH ranging from 5 to 10 for 24 h the maximum stability was observed at pH 7 followed by pH 8, whereas at extreme pH, the stability was very poor. Km and Vmax were found to be 1.4 mg/mL and 6.2 U/mL, respectively.

A Modified Eyring Equation for Modeling Yield and Flow Stresses of Metals at Strain Rates Ranging from 10−5 to 5 × 104 s−1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramzi Othman

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In several industrial applications, metallic structures are facing impact loads. Therefore, there is an important need for developing constitutive equations which take into account the strain rate sensitivity of their mechanical properties. The Johnson-Cook equation was widely used to model the strain rate sensitivity of metals. However, it implies that the yield and flow stresses are linearly increasing in terms of the logarithm of strain rate. This is only true up to a threshold strain rate. In this work, a three-constant constitutive equation, assuming an apparent activation volume which decreases as the strain rate increases, is applied here for some metals. It is shown that this equation fits well the experimental yield and flow stresses for a very wide range of strain rates, including quasi-static, high, and very high strain rates (from 10−5 to 5 × 104 s−1. This is the first time that a constitutive equation is showed to be able to fit the yield stress over a so large strain rate range while using only three material constants.

Sensibility of different wheat varieties (strains) to Ar+ implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui Huanhu; Jing Hua; Ma Aiping; Kang Xiuli; Yang Liping; Huang Mingjing; Ma Buzhou; Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Taiyuan

2005-01-01

The sensibility of different wheat varieties (strains) to Ar + implantation was studied. The results showed that the survival rate of 21 wheat varieties (strains) at the dose of 6 x 10 16 Ar + /cm 2 could be divided into five groups: surplus sensitive varieties (strains), sensitive varieties (strains), transitional varieties (strains), obtuse varieties (strains) and surplus obtuse varieties (strains). The sensibility of wheat varieties (strains) to Ar + injection is high-moisture-fertility wheat varieties (strains) > medium-moisture-fertility wheat varieties (strains) > dry land wheat varieties (strains). The study has provided theoretical basis in induced mutation medial lethal dose of different wheat varieties (strains) to Ar + implantation. (authors)

Strained Si engineering for nanoscale MOSFETs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jea-Gun; Lee, Gon-Sub; Kim, Tae-Hyun; Hong, Seuck-Hoon; Kim, Seong-Je; Song, Jin-Hwan; Shim, Tae-Hun

2006-01-01

We have revealed a strain relaxation mechanism for strained Si grown on a relaxed SiGe-on-insulator structure fabricated by the bonding, dislocation sink, or condensation method. Strain relaxation for both the bonding and dislocation sink methods was achieved by grading the Ge concentration; in contrast, the relaxation for the condensation method was achieved through Ge atom condensation during oxidation. In addition, we estimated the surface roughness and threading-dislocation pit density for relaxed SiGe layer fabricated by the bonding, dislocation sink, or condensation method. The surface roughness and threading-dislocation pit density for the bonding, dislocation sink, and condensation methods were 2.45, 0.46, and 0.40 nm and 5.0 x 10 3 , 9 x 10 3 , and 0, respectively. In terms of quality and cost-effectiveness, the condensation method was superior to the bonding and dislocation sink methods for forming strained Si on a relaxed SiGe-on-insulator structure

Ultrasensitive, Stretchable Strain Sensors Based on Fragmented Carbon Nanotube Papers

KAUST Repository

Zhou, Jian

2017-01-17

The development of strain sensors featuring both ultra high sensitivity and high stretchability is still a challenge. We demonstrate that strain sensors based on fragmented single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) paper embedded in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) can sustain their sensitivity even at very high strain levels (with a gauge factor of over 10(7) at 50% strain). This record sensitivity is ascribed to the low initial electrical resistance (5-28 Omega) of the SWCNT paper and the wide change in resistance (up to 10(6) Omega) governed by the percolated network of SWCNT in the cracked region. The sensor response remains nearly unchanged after 10 000 strain cycles at 20% proving the robustness of this technology. This fragmentation based sensing system brings opportunities to engineer highly sensitive stretchable sensors.

Influence of dynamic strain ageing on tensile strain energy of type 316L(N) austenitic stainless steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isaac Samuel, B.; Choudhary, B.K.; Bhanu Sankara Rao, K.

2010-01-01

Tensile tests were conducted on type 316 L(N) stainless steel over a wide temperature range of 300-1123 K employing strain rates ranging from 3.16 X 10 -5 to 3.16 X 10 -3/s . The variation of strain energy in terms of modulus of resilience and modulus of toughness over the wide range of temperatures and strain rates were examined. The variation in modulus of resilience with temperature and strain rate did not show the signatures of dynamic strain ageing (DSA). However, the modulus of toughness exhibited a plateau at the intermediate temperatures of 523-1023 K. Further, the distribution of energy absorbed till necking and energy absorbed from necking till fracture were found to characterise the deformation and damage processes, respectively, and exhibited anomalous variations in the temperature range 523-823 K and 823-1023 K, respectively. In addition to the observed manifestations of DSA such as serrated load-elongation curve, peaks/plateaus in flow stress, ultimate tensile strength and work hardening rate, negative strain rate sensitivity and ductility minima, the observed anomalous variations in modulus of toughness at intermediate temperatures (523-1023 K) can be regarded as yet another key manifestation of DSA. At temperatures above 1023 K, a sharp decrease in the modulus of toughness and also in the strain energies up to necking and from necking to fracture observed, with increasing temperature and decreasing strain rate, reveal the onset of dynamic recovery leading to early cross slip and climb processes. (author)

Variable characteristics of bacteriocin-producing Streptococcus salivarius strains isolated from Malaysian subjects.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdelahhad Barbour

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Salivaricins are bacteriocins produced by Streptococcus salivarius, some strains of which can have significant probiotic effects. S. salivarius strains were isolated from Malaysian subjects showing variable antimicrobial activity, metabolic profile, antibiotic susceptibility and lantibiotic production. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study we report new S. salivarius strains isolated from Malaysian subjects with potential as probiotics. Safety assessment of these strains included their antibiotic susceptibility and metabolic profiles. Genome sequencing using Illumina's MiSeq system was performed for both strains NU10 and YU10 and demonstrating the absence of any known streptococcal virulence determinants indicating that these strains are safe for subsequent use as probiotics. Strain NU10 was found to harbour genes encoding salivaricins A and 9 while strain YU10 was shown to harbour genes encoding salivaricins A3, G32, streptin and slnA1 lantibiotic-like protein. Strain GT2 was shown to harbour genes encoding a large non-lantibiotic bacteriocin (salivaricin-MPS. A new medium for maximum biomass production buffered with 2-(N-morpholinoethanesulfonic acid (MES was developed and showed better biomass accumulation compared with other commercial media. Furthermore, we extracted and purified salivaricin 9 (by strain NU10 and salivaricin G32 (by strain YU10 from S. salivarius cells grown aerobically in this medium. In addition to bacteriocin production, S. salivarius strains produced levan-sucrase which was detected by a specific ESI-LC-MS/MS method which indicates additional health benefits from the developed strains. CONCLUSION: The current study established the bacteriocin, levan-sucrase production and basic safety features of S. salivarius strains isolated from healthy Malaysian subjects demonstrating their potential for use as probiotics. A new bacteriocin-production medium was developed with potential scale up application for

Strain-Specific Virolysis Patterns of Human Noroviruses in Response to Alcohols.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Geun Woo; Collins, Nikail; Barclay, Leslie; Hu, Liya; Prasad, B V Venkataram; Lopman, Benjamin A; Vinjé, Jan

2016-01-01

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are widely used to disinfect hands to prevent the spread of pathogens including noroviruses. Alcohols inactivate norovirus by destruction of the viral capsid, resulting in the leakage of viral RNA (virolysis). Since conflicting results have been reported on the susceptibility of human noroviruses against alcohols, we exposed a panel of 30 human norovirus strains (14 GI and 16 GII strains) to different concentrations (50%, 70%, 90%) of ethanol and isopropanol and tested the viral RNA titer by RT-qPCR. Viral RNA titers of 10 (71.4%), 14 (100%), 3 (21.4%) and 7 (50%) of the 14 GI strains were reduced by > 1 log10 RNA copies/ml after exposure to 70% and 90% ethanol, and 70% and 90% isopropanol, respectively. RNA titers of 6 of the 7 non-GII 4 strains remained unaffected after alcohol exposure. Compared to GII strains, GI strains were more susceptible to ethanol than to isopropanol. At 90%, both alcohols reduced RNA titers of 8 of the 9 GII.4 strains by ≥ 1 log10 RNA copies/ml. After exposure to 70% ethanol, RNA titers of GII.4 Den Haag and Sydney strains decreased by ≥ 1.9 log10, whereas RNA reductions for GII.4 New Orleans strains were alcohol susceptibility patterns between different norovirus genotypes vary widely and that virolysis data for a single strain or genotype are not representative for all noroviruses.

Natural plasmid transformation in a high-frequency-of transformation marine Vibrio strain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frischer, M.E.; Thurmond, J.M.; Paul, J.H.

1990-01-01

The estuarine bacterium Vibrio strain DI-9 has been shown to be naturally transformable with both broad host range plasmid multimers and homologous chromosomal DNA at average frequencies of 3.5 x 10 -9 and 3.4 x 10 -7 transformants per recipient, respectively. Growth of plasmid transformants in nonselective medium resulted in cured strains that transformed 6 to 42,857 times more frequently than the parental strain, depending on the type of transforming DNA. These high-frequency-of-transformation (HfT) strains were transformed at frequencies ranging from 1.1 x 10 -8 to 1.3 x 10 -4 transformants per recipient with plasmid DNA and at an average frequency of 8.3 x 10 -5 transformants per recipient with homologous chromosomal DNA. The highest transformation frequencies were observed by using multimers of an R1162 derivative carrying the transposon Tn5 (pQSR50). Probing of total DNA preparations from one of the cured strains demonstrated that no plasmid DNA remained in the cured strains which may have provided homology to the transforming DNA. All transformants and cured strains could be differentiated from the parental strains by colony morphology. DNA binding studies indicated that late-log-phase HfT strains bound [ 3 H]bacteriophage lambda DNA 2.1 times more rapidly than the parental strain. These results suggest that the original plasmid transformation event of strain DI-9 was the result of uptake and expression of plasmid DNA by a competent mutant (HfT strain). Additionally, it was found that a strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, USFS 3420, could be naturally transformed with plasmid DNA. Natural plasmid transformation by high-transforming mutants may be a means of plasmid acquisition by natural aquatic bacterial populations

Strain-based HLA association analysis identified HLA-DRB1*09:01 associated with modern strain tuberculosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Toyo-Oka, L; Mahasirimongkol, S; Yanai, H; Mushiroda, T; Wattanapokayakit, S; Wichukchinda, N; Yamada, N; Smittipat, N; Juthayothin, T; Palittapongarnpim, P; Nedsuwan, S; Kantipong, P; Takahashi, A; Kubo, M; Sawanpanyalert, P; Tokunaga, K

2017-09-01

Tuberculosis (TB) occurs as a result of complex interactions between the host immune system and pathogen virulence factors. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecules play an important role in the host immune system. However, no study has assessed the association between HLA class II genes and susceptibility to TB caused by specific strains. This study investigated the possible association of HLA class II genes with TB caused by modern and ancient Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). The study included 682 patients with TB and 836 control subjects who were typed for HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 alleles. MTB strains were classified using a large sequence polymorphism typing method. Association analysis was performed using common HLA alleles and haplotypes in different MTB strains. HLA association analysis of patients infected with modern MTB strains showed significant association for HLA-DRB1*09:01 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.82; P-value = 9.88 × 10 -4 ) and HLA-DQB1*03:03 alleles (OR = 1.76; P-value = 1.31 × 10 -3 ) with susceptibility to TB. Haplotype analysis confirmed that these alleles were in strong linkage disequilibrium and did not exert an interactive effect. Thus, the results of this study showed an association between HLA class II genes and susceptibility to TB caused by modern MTB strains, suggesting the importance of strain-specific analysis to determine susceptibility genes associated with TB. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Genetic variation within and between strains of outbred Swiss mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, S; Chesson, C; Hope, R

1993-04-01

The aim of this survey was to measure levels of genetic variation within and between 5 different strains of outbred Swiss mice. Ten to 15 animals from each strain (NIH, Q(S), ARC, IMVS and STUD) were typed, using allozyme electrophoresis, at 10 gene loci: Mod-1, Idh-1, Gpi-I, Es-1, Es-3, Hbb, Pep-3, Gr-1, Got-2 and Pgm-1. Polymorphic variation in at least one of the 5 strains was detected at all 10 loci. The proportion of polymorphic loci ranged from 0.3 (NIH) to 0.8 (IMVS) with a mean of 0.52. Average expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.08 (NIH) to 0.37 (IMVS) with a mean of 0.21. The inbred strain SWR was, as expected, homozygous at all 10 loci. The amount of allelic substitution between pairs of strains was quantified using Nei's genetic distance, and a dendrogram based on these genetic distances showed a close overall similarity in its branching pattern to the known genealogy of the strains. This survey showed that a considerable degree of genetic variation persists in the 5 strains examined, a level of variation similar to that previously detected by Rice and O'Brien (1980) in 3 other outbred Swiss strains.

An Embeddable Strain Sensor with 30 Nano-Strain Resolution Based on Optical Interferometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Zhu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available A cost-effective, robust and embeddable optical interferometric strain sensor with nanoscale strain resolution is presented in this paper. The sensor consists of an optical fiber, a quartz rod with one end coated with a thin gold layer, and two metal shells employed to transfer the strain and orient and protect the optical fiber and the quartz rod. The optical fiber endface, combining with the gold-coated surface, forms an extrinsic Fabry–Perot interferometer. The sensor was firstly calibrated, and the result showed that our prototype sensor could provide a measurement resolution of 30 nano-strain (nε and a sensitivity of 10.01 µε/µm over a range of 1000 µε. After calibration of the sensor, the shrinkage strain of a cubic brick of mortar in real time during the drying process was monitored. The strain sensor was compared with a commercial linear variable displacement transducer, and the comparison results in four weeks demonstrated that our sensor had much higher measurement resolution and gained more detailed and useful information. Due to the advantages of the extremely simple, robust and cost-effective configuration, it is believed that the sensor is significantly beneficial to practical applications, especially for structural health monitoring.

The role of creep in stress strain curves for copper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandström, Rolf; Hallgren, Josefin

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A dislocation based model takes into account both dynamic and static recovery. ► Tests at constant load and at constant strain rate modelled without fitting parameters. ► The model can describe primary and secondary creep of Cu-OFP from 75 to 250 °C. ► The temperature and strain rate dependence of stress strain curves can be modelled. ► Intended for the slow strain rates in canisters for storage of nuclear waste. - Abstract: A model for plastic deformation in pure copper taking work hardening, dynamic recovery and static recovery into account, has been formulated using basic dislocation mechanisms. The model is intended to be used in finite-element computations of the long term behaviour of structures in Cu-OFP for storage of nuclear waste. The relation between the strain rate and the maximum flow stress in the model has been demonstrated to correspond to strain rate versus stress in creep tests for oxygen free copper alloyed with phosphorus Cu-OFP. A further development of the model can also represent the primary and secondary stage of creep curves. The model is compared to stress strain curves in compression and tension for Cu-OFP. The compression tests were performed at room temperature for strain rates between 5 × 10 −5 and 5 × 10 −3 s −1 . The tests in tension covered the temperature range 20–175 °C for strain rates between 1 × 10 −7 and 1 × 10 −4 s −1 . Consequently, it is demonstrated that the model can represent mechanical test data that have been generated both at constant load and at constant strain rate without the use of any fitting parameters.

Studies on radiation-induced thymic lymphomagenesis in B10 strain mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muto, Masahiro

1989-01-01

Using B10.Thy 1 congenic strain mice, we reexamined the earlier results by Kaplan and others that lymphomas could develop from lymphocytes present in the nonirradiated parental thymuses grafted into thymectomized, fractionally irradiated H-2 semiincompatible recipient mice. The results indicated that 37 out of 91 thymectomized and irradiated B10.Thy 1.2 mice developed lymphomas of which 75 % were shown to have originated from grafted thymuses. The evidence was not obtained that supported the involvement of endogenous MuLV or some kind of transmissible agents during thymic lymphomagenesis. We found, with intrathymic injection assay, that 'preneoplastic' cells that will eventually develop into thymic lymphomas under the influence of thymic microenvironment first appeared in the thymuses about 4-8 days after irradiation. These thymic prelymphoma cells 'thymus-dependent' preneoplastic cells were detected in 26.1 % of the test donor thymuses when examined at 14 days and in more than 63 % 21 and 31 days after irradiation. It was found that lymphomagenic irradiation resulted in the anomalous appearance of CD4 + and/or CD8 + thymocytes bearing IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) which were different from normal thymocyte subpopulations. Thymic prelymphoma cells existed mainly in CD4 - CD8 - and CD4 - CD8 + thymocyted subpopulations and also in CD4 + CD8 + subpopulation. T cell lymphomas derived from CD4 - CD8 - prelymphoma cells had mainly CD4 - CD8 - or CD4 - CD8 + phenotypes. T cell lymphomas developed from CD4 - CD8 + prelymphoma cells mainly expressed CD4 - CD8 + or CD4 + CD8 + phenotype. T cell lymphomas originated from CD4 + CD8 + prelymphoma cells were mainly CD4 + CD8 + but some CD4 - CD8 + or CD4 + CD8 - cells were also present. These T cell lymphomas expressed IL-2R on various levels. The development of thymic prelymphoma cells is discussed in view of thymocyte differentiation. (J.P.N)

Effect of strain rate on the tensile properties of α- and delta-stabilized plutonium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hecker, S.S.; Morgan, J.R.

1975-01-01

The tensile properties of unalloyed α-Pu and 3.4 at. percent Ga-stabilized delta-Pu were determined at strain rates from 10 -5 to 100/s. Tests at strain rates less than 10 -2 /s were conducted on an Instron Testing Machine; those at strain rates between 10 -2 and 3/s on a closed-loop electrohydraulic MTS system; and those at strain rates greater than 3/s on a specially modified Charpy Impact Tester. Three lots of delta-Pu, one rolled and annealed and the other two cast and homogenized, were tested. The 0.2 percent yield strengths and ultimate tensile strengths increased by an average of 5.2 and 6.0 MPa per factor of 10 increase in strain rate. This increase was achieved without penalty in tensile ductility as measured by total elongation to fracture and by reduction in area. The isostatically pressed α-Pu specimens also showed a large increase in fracture stress with strain rate (34.3 MPa per factor to 10 increase in strain rate). The fracture was macroscopically brittle (plastic strains less than 0.3 percent) although we observed extensive evidence of microscopic flow in the ductile dimple-type appearance of the fracture surfaces. The strain to fracture appeared to exhibit a minimum at a strain rate of 10 -2 /s. (U.S.)

Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains exhibit differential and strain-specific molecular signatures in pulmonary epithelial cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Mvubu, Nontobeko Eunice; Pillay, Balakrishna; Gamieldien, Junaid; Bishai, William; Pillay, Manormoney

2016-12-01

Although pulmonary epithelial cells are integral to innate and adaptive immune responses during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, global transcriptomic changes in these cells remain largely unknown. Changes in gene expression induced in pulmonary epithelial cells infected with M. tuberculosis F15/LAM4/KZN, F11, F28, Beijing and Unique genotypes were investigated by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). The Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform generated 50 bp reads that were mapped to the human genome (Hg19) using Tophat (2.0.10). Differential gene expression induced by the different strains in infected relative to the uninfected cells was quantified and compared using Cufflinks (2.1.0) and MeV (4.0.9), respectively. Gene expression varied among the strains with the total number of genes as follows: F15/LAM4/KZN (1187), Beijing (1252), F11 (1639), F28 (870), Unique (886) and H37Rv (1179). A subset of 292 genes was commonly induced by all strains, where 52 genes were down-regulated while 240 genes were up-regulated. Differentially expressed genes were compared among the strains and the number of induced strain-specific gene signatures were as follows: F15/LAM4/KZN (138), Beijing (52), F11 (255), F28 (55), Unique (186) and H37Rv (125). Strain-specific molecular gene signatures associated with functional pathways were observed only for the Unique and H37Rv strains while certain biological functions may be associated with other strain signatures. This study demonstrated that strains of M. tuberculosis induce differential gene expression and strain-specific molecular signatures in pulmonary epithelial cells. Specific signatures induced by clinical strains of M. tuberculosis can be further explored for novel host-associated biomarkers and adjunctive immunotherapies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strain ageing in welds of nuclear pressure vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otterberg, R.; Karlsson, C.

1979-01-01

Static and dynamic strain ageing have been investigated on submerged-arc welds and repair welds from plates of the pressure vessel steel A 533B. The results permit the determination of the worst strain ageing conditions existing in a nuclear pressure vessel. Static strain ageing was investigated by means of data from tension tests, hardness measurements and Charpy-V impact properties for prestrained and aged material for ageing temperatures from room temperature to 350 deg C and ageing times up to 1000h. Dynamic strain ageing was investigated by tensile tests up to 350 deg C at different strain rates. At the most static strain ageing was found to increase the impact transition temperature from -75 deg C in the as-received condition to -55 deg C after prestraining and ageing for the plate material, from -35 to -10 deg C for the submerged arc weld and from -90 to -40 deg C for the repair weld. Approximately 10 deg C of the deleterious effect is due to the effect of ageing for the two former materials whereas the corresponding figure for the repair weld amounts to 35 deg C. The dynamic strain ageing is strongest at very low strain rates at temperatures just below 300 deg C. The effect of strain ageing can be reduced by stress relief heat treatment or by other means decreasing the content of nitrogen in solution. (author)

Borehole strain observations of very low frequency earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Hawthorne, J. C.; Ghosh, A.; Hutchinson, A. A.

2016-12-01

We examine the signals of very low frequency earthquakes (VLFEs) in PBO borehole strain data in central Cascadia. These MW 3.3 - 4.1 earthquakes are best observed in seismograms at periods of 20 to 50 seconds. We look for the strain they produce on timescales from about 1 to 30 minutes. First, we stack the strain produced by 13 VLFEs identified by a grid search moment tensor inversion algorithm by Ghosh et. al. (2015) and Hutchinson and Ghosh (2016), as well as several thousand VLFEs detected through template matching these events. The VLFEs are located beneath southernmost Vancouver Island and the eastern Olympic Peninsula, and are best recorded at co-located stations B005 and B007. However, even at these stations, the signal to noise in the stack is often low, and the records are difficult to interpret. Therefore we also combine data from multiple stations and VLFE locations, and simply look for increases in the strain rate at the VLFE times, as increases in strain rate would suggest an increase in the moment rate. We compare the background strain rate in the 12 hours centered on the VLFEs with the strain rate in the 10 minutes centered on the VLFEs. The 10-minute duration is chosen as a compromise that averages out some instrumental noise without introducing too much longer-period random walk noise. Our results suggest a factor of 2 increase in strain rate--and thus moment rate--during the 10-minute VLFE intervals. The increase gives an average VLFE magnitude around M 3.5, within the range of magnitudes obtained with seismology. Further analyses are currently being carried out to better understand the evolution of moment release before, during, and after the VLFEs.

Left ventricular strain and strain rate by 2D speckle tracking in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension before and after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waltman Thomas J

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular (LV strain and strain rate (SR by 2D speckle tracking may be useful tools to assess chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH severity as well as response to successful pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE. Methods We evaluated 30 patients with CTEPH before and after PTE using 2D speckle tracking measurements of LV radial and circumferential strain and SR in the short axis, and correlated the data with right heart catheterization (RHC. Results PTE resulted in a decrease in mean PA pressure (44 ± 15 to 29 ± 9 mmHg, decrease in PVR (950 ± 550 to 31 ± 160 [dyne-sec]/cm5, and an increase in cardiac output (3.9 ± 1.0 to 5.0 ± 1.0 L/min, p change in circumferential strain and change in posterior wall radial strain correlated moderately well with changes in PVR, mean PA pressure and cardiac output (r = 0.69, 0.76, and 0.51 for circumferential strain [p Conclusions LV circumferential and posterior wall radial strain change after relief of pulmonary arterial obstruction in patients with CTEPH, and these improvements occur rapidly. These changes in LV strain may reflect effects from improved LV diastolic filling, and may be useful non-invasive markers of successful PTE.

Strain preservation of experimental animals: vitrification of two-cell stage embryos for multiple mouse strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Eto, Tomoo; Takahashi, Riichi; Kamisako, Tsutomu

2015-04-01

Strain preservation of experimental animals is crucial for experimental reproducibility. Maintaining complete animal strains, however, is costly and there is a risk for genetic mutations as well as complete loss due to disasters or illness. Therefore, the development of effective vitrification techniques for cryopreservation of multiple experimental animal strains is important. We examined whether a vitrification method using cryoprotectant solutions, P10 and PEPeS, is suitable for preservation of multiple inbred and outbred mouse strains. First, we investigated whether our vitrification method using cryoprotectant solutions was suitable for two-cell stage mouse embryos. In vitro development of embryos exposed to the cryoprotectant solutions was similar to that of fresh controls. Further, the survival rate of the vitrified embryos was extremely high (98.1%). Next, we collected and vitrified two-cell stage embryos of 14 mouse strains. The average number of embryos obtained from one female was 7.3-33.3. The survival rate of vitrified embryos ranged from 92.8% to 99.1%, with no significant differences among mouse strains. In vivo development did not differ significantly between fresh controls and vitrified embryos of each strain. For strain preservation using cryopreserved embryos, two offspring for inbred lines and one offspring for outbred lines must be produced from two-cell stage embryos collected from one female. The expected number of surviving fetuses obtained from embryos collected from one female of either the inbred or outbred strains ranged from 2.9 to 19.5. The findings of the present study indicated that this vitrification method is suitable for strain preservation of multiple mouse strains. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of plastic strain on fracture strength of cracked components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamaya, Masayuki

2009-01-01

Nuclear power plant components are occasionally subjected to large load by earthquake and may suffer plastic strain. Although the plastic strain induced in materials increases the strength, it may reduce the fracture toughness due to a crack in the components. In this study, the effect of the plastic strain on strength of cracked components was investigated. Firstly, the change in the tensile properties and fracture toughness due to plastic strain were examined for Type 316 stainless steel and carbon steel (SM490). The degree of nominal plastic strain was 5%, 10%, 20% and 40% (only for stainless steel). Secondly, the J-integral values of surface crack on a pipe were evaluated by finite element analyses. Finally, the critical load for fracture of the cracked pipe was evaluated for various pipe and crack geometries using the J-integral values and the fracture toughness obtained. It was concluded that the plastic strain enhances the fracture strength of the cracked components when the induced plastic strain is less than 10%, although the extremely large plastic strain could reduce the strength. (author)

Effect of plastic strain on fracture strength of cracked components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamaya, Masayuki

2010-01-01

Nuclear power plant components are occasionally subjected to excessive load by earthquake and may suffer plastic strain. Although the plastic strain introduced in materials increases the strength, it may reduce the fracture toughness. In this study, the effect of the plastic strain on strength of cracked components was investigated. Firstly, the change in the tensile properties and fracture toughness due to plastic strain were examined for Type 316 stainless steel and carbon steel (SM 490). The degree of nominal plastic strain was 5%, 10%, 20% and 40% (only for stainless steel). Secondly, the J-integral values of surface crack on a pipe were evaluated by finite element analyses. Finally, the critical load for fracture of the cracked pipe was evaluated for various pipe and crack geometries using the J-integral values and the fracture toughness obtained. It was concluded that the plastic strain enhances the fracture strength of the cracked components when the induced plastic strain is less than 10%, although the extremely large plastic strain could reduce the strength. (author)

Origin of the Strain Sensitivity for an Organic Heptazole Thin-Film and Its Strain Gauge Application

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, Heesun; Jeon, Pyo Jin; Park, Ji Hoon; Lee, Kimoon

2018-04-01

The authors report on the origin of the strain sensitivity for an organic C26H16N2 (heptazole) thinfilm and its application for the detection of tensile strain. From the electrical characterization on the thin-film transistor adopting a heptazole channel, heptazole film exhibits p-channel conduction with a relatively low value of field-effect mobility (0.05 cm2/Vs), suggesting a hopping conduction behavior via hole carriers. By analyzing the strain and temperature dependences of the electrical conductivity, we reveal that the electrical conduction for a heptazole thin-film is dominated by the variable range hopping process with quite a large energy separation (224.9 meV) between the localized states under a relatively long attenuation length (10.46 Å). This indicates that a change in the inter-grain spacing that is much larger than the attenuation length is responsible for the reversible modification of electrical conductivity depending on strain for the heptazole film. By utilizing our heptazole thin-film both as a strain sensitive passive resistor and an active semiconducting channel layer, we can achieve a strain gauge device exhibiting reversible endurance for tensile strains up to 2.12%. Consequently, this study advances the understanding of the fundamental strain sensing mechanism in a heptazole thin-film toward finding a promise material with a strain gauge for applications as potential flexible devices and/or wearable electronics.

Antibiotic sensitivity and resistance in Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale strains from Belgian broiler chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Devriese, L A; De Herdt, P; Haesebrouck, F

2001-06-01

Establishing the antibiotic sensitivity of the avian respiratory pathogen Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale is difficult because of the organism's complex growth requirements and the unusually frequent occurrence of resistance. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of 10 antibiotics were determined for 45 strains of O. rhinotracheale from Belgian broiler chickens collected from 45 farms between 1995 and 1998. They were compared with the type strain, which was isolated from a turkey, and a strain isolated from a rook. All the broiler strains were resistant to lincomycin and to the beta-lactams ampicillin and ceftiofur. Less than 10% of the strains were sensitive to the macrolides tylosin and spiramycin, tilmicosin and flumequine. A few strains were sensitive to enrofloxacin and doxycycline. All strains were sensitive to tiamulin.

Lack of supportive leadership behavior predicts suboptimal self-rated health independent of job strain after 10 years of follow-up: findings from the population-based MONICA/KORA study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Burkhard; Herr, Raphael M; Jarczok, Marc N; Baumert, Jens; Lukaschek, Karoline; Emeny, Rebecca T; Ladwig, Karl-Heinz

2018-04-23

Emerging cross-sectional research has identified lack of supportive leadership behavior (SLB) as a risk factor for workforce health. However, prospective evidence is hitherto lacking. SLB denotes support in difficult situations, recognition and feedback on work tasks. This study aims to determine the effect of SLB on suboptimal self-rated health (SRH) after 10 years considering potential moderators such as ages, sex, occupation and job strain. The sample included 884 employed participants drawn from the population-based prospective MONICA/KORA Study. SLB, SRH, as well as job strain were assessed by questionnaire. Logistic regressions estimated odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the effect of SLB at baseline on suboptimal SRH at follow-up. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, lifestyle (alcohol, smoking, physical activity), socioeconomic status as well as for SRH and job strain at baseline. Lack of SLB was associated with suboptimal SRH at baseline [OR 2.00, (95% CI 1.19-3.46)] and at follow-up [OR 2.33, (95% CI 1.40-3.89)]. Additional adjustment for job strain did not substantially alter this association [OR 2.06, (95% CI 1.20-3.52)]. However, interactions between SLB and job strain as well as gender became evident, indicating moderating influences on the association between SLB and SRH. Lack of supportive leadership was associated with suboptimal SRH at 10 years' follow-up in men, even if SRH at baseline and other risk factors were taken into account. This effect is likely to be moderated by job strain.

Inverse strain rate effect on cyclic stress response in annealed Zircaloy-2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sudhakar Rao, G.; Verma, Preeti [Center of Advanced Study, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005 (India); Chakravartty, J.K. [Mechanical Metallurgy Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Trombay 400 085, Mumbai (India); Nudurupati, Saibaba [Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hyderabad 500 062 (India); Mahobia, G.S.; Santhi Srinivas, N.C. [Center of Advanced Study, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005 (India); Singh, Vakil, E-mail: vsingh.met@itbhu.ac.in [Center of Advanced Study, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005 (India)

2015-02-15

Low cycle fatigue behavior of annealed Zircaloy-2 was investigated at 300 and 400 °C at different strain amplitudes and strain rates of 10{sup −2}, 10{sup −3}, and 10{sup −4} s{sup −1}. Cyclic stress response showed initial hardening with decreasing rate of hardening, followed by linear cyclic hardening and finally secondary hardening with increasing rate of hardening for low strain amplitudes at both the temperatures. The rate as well the degree of linear hardening and secondary hardening decreased with decrease in strain rate at 300 °C, however, there was inverse effect of strain rate on cyclic stress response at 400 °C and cyclic stress was increased with decrease in strain rate. The fatigue life decreased with decrease in strain rate at both the temperatures. The occurrence of linear cyclic hardening, inverse effect of strain rate on cyclic stress response and deterioration in fatigue life with decrease in strain rate may be attributed to dynamic strain aging phenomena resulting from enhanced interaction of dislocations with solutes. Fracture surfaces revealed distinct striations, secondary cracking, and oxidation with decrease in strain rate. Deformation substructure showed parallel dislocation lines and dislocation band structure at 300 °C. Persistent slip band wall structure and development of fine Corduroy structure was observed at 400 °C.

Inverse strain rate effect on cyclic stress response in annealed Zircaloy-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudhakar Rao, G.; Verma, Preeti; Chakravartty, J.K.; Nudurupati, Saibaba; Mahobia, G.S.; Santhi Srinivas, N.C.; Singh, Vakil

2015-01-01

Low cycle fatigue behavior of annealed Zircaloy-2 was investigated at 300 and 400 °C at different strain amplitudes and strain rates of 10 −2 , 10 −3 , and 10 −4 s −1 . Cyclic stress response showed initial hardening with decreasing rate of hardening, followed by linear cyclic hardening and finally secondary hardening with increasing rate of hardening for low strain amplitudes at both the temperatures. The rate as well the degree of linear hardening and secondary hardening decreased with decrease in strain rate at 300 °C, however, there was inverse effect of strain rate on cyclic stress response at 400 °C and cyclic stress was increased with decrease in strain rate. The fatigue life decreased with decrease in strain rate at both the temperatures. The occurrence of linear cyclic hardening, inverse effect of strain rate on cyclic stress response and deterioration in fatigue life with decrease in strain rate may be attributed to dynamic strain aging phenomena resulting from enhanced interaction of dislocations with solutes. Fracture surfaces revealed distinct striations, secondary cracking, and oxidation with decrease in strain rate. Deformation substructure showed parallel dislocation lines and dislocation band structure at 300 °C. Persistent slip band wall structure and development of fine Corduroy structure was observed at 400 °C

Preparation of strained axially chiral (1,5)naphthalenophanes by photo-dehydro-Diels-Alder reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wessig, Pablo; Matthes, Annika

2011-03-02

The preparation of 10 (1,5)naphthalenophanes (10a-j) by photo-dehydro-Diels-Alder (PDDA) reaction is described. Owing to hindered rotation around the biaryl axis, compounds 10 are axially chiral and the separation of enantiomers by chiral HPLC was demonstrated in three cases (10a,b,e). The absolute configuration of the isolated enantiomers could be unambiguously determined by comparison of calculated and measured circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Furthermore, we analyzed ring strain phenomena of (1,5)naphthalenophanes 10. Depending on the length of the linker units, one can distinguish three classes of naphthalenophanes. Compounds 10a-c are highly strained (E(STR) = 7-31 kcal/mol), and the strain is caused by small bond angles in the linker unit and deformation of the naphthalene moiety. Another type of strain is observed if the linker unit becomes relatively long (10g,h) originating from transannular interactions and is comparable with the well-known strain of medium sized rings. The naphthalenophanes 10d-f with a linker length of 10-14 atoms are only marginally strained. To clearly discriminate the different sources of strain, we defined two geometrical parameters (average central dihedral angle δ(C) and naphthalene thickness D(N)) and demonstrated that they are well-suited to indicate naphthalene deformation of our naphthalenophanes 10 as well as of ten model naphthalenophanes (I-X) with different linker lengths and linking positions.

Sensitivity of the polypropylene to the strain rate: experiments and modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdul-Latif, A.; Aboura, Z.; Mosleh, L.

2002-01-01

Full text.The main goal of this work is first to evaluate experimentally the strain rate dependent deformation of the polypropylene under tensile load; and secondly is to propose a model capable to appropriately describe the mechanical behavior of this material and especially its sensitivity to the strain rate. Several experimental tensile tests are performed at different quasi-static strain rates in the range of 10 -5 s -1 to 10 -1 s -1 . In addition to some relaxation tests are also conducted introducing the strain rate jumping state during testing. Within the framework of elastoviscoplasticity, a phenomenological model is developed for describing the non-linear mechanical behavior of the material under uniaxial loading paths. With the small strain assumption, the sensitivity of the polypropylene to the strain rate being of particular interest in this work, is accordingly taken into account. As a matter of fact, since this model is based on internal state variables, we assume thus that the material sensitivity to the strain rate is governed by the kinematic hardening variable notably its modulus and the accumulated viscoplastic strain. As far as the elastic behavior is concerned, it is noticed that such a behavior is slightly influenced by the employed strain rate rage. For this reason, the elastic behavior is classically determined, i.e. without coupling with the strain rate dependent deformation. It is obvious that the inelastic behavior of the used material is thoroughly dictated by the applied strain rate. Hence, the model parameters are well calibrated utilizing several experimental databases for different strain rates (10 -5 s -1 to 10 -1 s -1 ). Actually, among these experimental results, some experiments related to the relaxation phenomenon and strain rate jumping during testing (increasing or decreasing) are also used in order to more perfect the model parameters identification. To validate the calibrated model parameters, simulation tests are achieved

Isolation and characterization of bioactive metabolites producing marine Streptomyces parvulus strain sankarensis-A10

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mobeen Shaik

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The significance and frequency of marine microorganisms as producers of bioactive metabolites-a natural source of drug discovery had varied significantly during the last decades, making marine ecosystem a huge treasure trove of novel isolates and novel compounds. Among the twelve actinomycetes isolated from marine sediment sample (Lat. 17°41′962″N, Long. 83°19′633″E, amylase, protease, lipase and cellulase activities were exhibited by 8,7,4,3 isolates respectively. Five isolates exhibited l-asparaginase activity, while 5, 6, 2 isolates exhibited antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial activities respectively. One isolate VMS-A10 efficiently producing alpha-amylase (25.53 ± 0.50 U/mL, protease (19.26 ± 0.25 U/mL, lipase (36.25 ± 0.10 U/mL, cellulase (14.43 ± 0.513 U/mL, l-asparaginase (0.125 ± 0.004 U/mL, antimicrobial metabolites against B. subtilis (503.33 ± 5.77 U/mL, S. aureus (536.66 ± 5.77 U/mL, E. coli (533.33 ± 5.77 U/mL, P. aeruginosa (500.00 ± 10.0 U/mL, MRSA (538.33 ± 5.77 U/mL, C. albicans (353.33 ± 11.54 U/mL and A. niger (443.33 ± 15.27 U/mL was selected, identified on the basis of morphological, cultural, physiological, and biochemical properties together with 16S rDNA sequence, designated as Streptomyces parvulus strain sankarensis-A10 and sequencing product (1490 bp was deposited in the GenBank database under accession number KT906299, Culture Deposit No: NCIM-5601. Isolation and characterization of each potential actinobacteria having immense industrial and therapeutic value on an unprecedented scale from marine sediments of Visakhapatnam coast will have a burgeoning effect.

Observations of in-reactor strain for fueled and unfueled FTR cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, E.R.; Makenas, B.J.; Wilson, D.R.

1979-01-01

It has been demonstrated that equations derived from in-reactor creep and swelling in unfueled pressurized tubes of 20% CW AISI 316 stainless steel can be used to predict strains in prototypic FTR mixed-oxide (UO 2 --PuO 2 ) fuel pins. For fast neutron fluences below 6 x 10 22 n/cm 2 the strains were small (less than one percent) and good agreement was found (within 0.1 percent diametral strain) between the equations and the fuel pin strains. This paper describes an extension of the earlier study to fast neutron fluences up to 11 x 10 22 n/cm 2

In vitro investigation of Debaryomyces hansenii strains for potential probiotic properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ochangco, Honeylet Sabas; Gamero, Amparo; Smith, Ida Mosbech

2016-01-01

and mucin, and (3) modulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion by human monocyte-derived dendritic cells. As references two commercially available probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii (S. boulardii) strains were included in the study. Our results demonstrate that the different D....... hansenii yeast strains had very diverse properties which could potentially lead to different probiotic effects. One strain of D. hansenii (DI 09) was capable of surviving GI stress conditions, although not to the same degree as the S. boulardii strains. This DI 09 strain, however, adhered more strongly...... to Caco-2 cells and mucin than the S. boulardii strains. Additionally, two D. hansenii strains (DI 10 and DI 15) elicited a higher IL-10/IL-12 ratio than the S. boulardii strains, indicating a higher anti-inflammatory effects on human dendritic cells. Finally, one strain of D. hansenii (DI 02...

A novel type of VP4 carried by a porcine rotavirus strain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liprandi, Ferdinando; Gerder, Marlene; Bastidas, Zoleida; Lopez, Jose A.; Pujol, Flor H.; Ludert, Juan E.; Joelsson, Daniel B.; Ciarlet, Max

2003-01-01

The gene encoding the VP8* trypsin-cleavage product of the VP4 protein of porcine rotavirus strain A34 was sequenced, and the predicted amino acid (aa) sequence was compared to the homologous region of all known P genotypes. The aa sequence of the VP8* of strain A34 shared low identity, ranging from 39% (bovine strain B223, P8[11]) to 76% (human strain 69M, P4[10]), with the homologous sequences of representative strains of the remaining 21 P genotypes. Phylogenetic relationships showed that the VP8* of strain A34 shares a common evolutionary lineage with those of human 69M (P4[10]) and equine H-2 (P4[12]) strains. Hyperimmune sera raised to strain A34 and to a genetic reassortant strain containing the VP4 gene from strain A34, both with high homologous neutralization titer via VP4, failed to neutralize strains representative of 15 different P genotypes. These results indicate that strain A34 should be considered as prototype of a new P genotype and serotype (P14[23]) and provide further evidence for the vast genetic and antigenic diversity of group A rotaviruses

Processing plant persistent strains of Listeria monocytogenes appear to have a lower virulence potential than clinical strains in selected virulence models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Anne; Thomsen, L.E.; Jørgensen, R.L.

2008-01-01

cell line, Caco-2; time to death in a nematode model, Caenorhabditis elegans and in a fruit fly model, Drosophila melanogaster and fecal shedding in a guinea pig model. All strains adhered to and grew in Caco-2 cells in similar levels. When exposed to 10(6) CFU/ml, two strains representing......% killed C elegans worms was longer (110 h) for the RAPD type 9 strains than for the other four strains (80 h). The Scott A strain and one RAPD type 9 strain were suspended in whipping cream before being fed to guinea pigs and the persistent RAPD type 9 strain was isolated from feces in a lower level...... to contaminate food products, and it is important to determine their virulence potential to evaluate risk to consumers. We compared the behaviour of food processing persistent and clinical L. monocytogenes strains in four virulence models: Adhesion, invasion and intracellular growth was studied in an epithelial...

Strain rate dependency of laser sintered polyamide 12

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cook J.E.T.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Parts processed by Additive Manufacturing can now be found across a wide range of applications, such as those in the aerospace and automotive industry in which the mechanical response must be optimised. Many of these applications are subjected to high rate or impact loading, yet it is believed that there is no prior research on the strain rate dependence in these materials. This research investigates the effect of strain rate and laser energy density on laser sintered polyamide 12. In the study presented here, parts produced using four different laser sintered energy densities were exposed to uniaxial compression tests at strain rates ranging from 10−3 to 10+3 s−1 at room temperature, and the dependence on these parameters is presented.

Strain engineering the work function in monolayer metal dichalcogenides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanzillo, Nicholas A; Simbeck, Adam J; Nayak, Saroj K

2015-01-01

We use first-principles density functional theory to investigate the effect of both tensile and compressive strain on the work functions of various metal dichalcogenide monolayers. We find that for all six species considered, including MoS 2 , WS 2 , SnS 2 , VS 2 , MoSe 2 and MoTe 2 , that compressive strain of up to 10% decreases the work function continuously by as much as 1.0 eV. Large enough tensile strain is also found to decrease the work function, although in some cases we observe an increase in the work function for intermediate values of tensile strain. This work function modulation is attributed to a weakening of the chalcogenide-metal bonds and an increase in total energy of each system as a function of strain. Values of strain which bring the metal atoms closer together lead to an increase in electrostatic potential energy, which in turn results in an increase in the vacuum potential level. The net effect on the work function can be explained in terms of the balance between the increases in the vacuum potential levels and Fermi energy. (paper)

5-Fluorouracil-resistant strain of Methanobacterium thermoautortrophicum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagle, D.P. Jr.; Teal, R.; Eisenbraun, A.

1987-01-01

Growth of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum Marburg is inhibited by the pyrimidine, 5-fluorouracil (FU). It was shown previously that methanogenesis is not inhibited to the same extent as growth. A spontaneously occurring FU-resistant strain (RTAE-1) was isolated from a culture of strain Marburg. The growth of both strains was inhibited by 5-fluorodeoxyuridine but not 5-fluorocytosine, and the wild type was more susceptible to inhibition by 5-azauracil and 6-azauracil than was strain RTAE-1. The cellular targets for the pyrimidine analogs are not known. When the accumulation of 14 C-labeled uracil or FU by the two strains was compared, the wilt type took up 15-fold more radiolabel per cell than did the FU-resistant strain. In the wild type, radiolabel from uracil was incorporated into the soluble pool, RNA, and DNA. The metabolism of uracil appeared to involve a uracil phosphoribosyltransferase activity. Strain Marburg extracts contained this enzyme, whereas FU-resistant strain RTAE-1 extracts had less than 1/10 as much activity. Although it is possible that a change in permeability to the compounds plays a role in the stable resistance of strain RTAE-1, the fact that it lacks the ability to metabolize pyrimidines to nucleotides is sufficient to account for its phenotype

5-Fluorouracil-resistant strain of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagle, D P; Teal, R; Eisenbraun, A

1987-09-01

Growth of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum Marburg is inhibited by the pyrimidine, 5-fluorouracil (FU). It was shown previously that methanogenesis is not inhibited to the same extent as growth. A spontaneously occurring FU-resistant strain (RTAE-1) was isolated from a culture of strain Marburg. The growth of both strains was inhibited by 5-fluorodeoxyuridine but not 5-fluorocytosine, and the wild type was more susceptible to inhibition by 5-azauracil and 6-azauracil than was strain RTAE-1. The cellular targets for the pyrimidine analogs are not known. When the accumulation of 14C-labeled uracil or FU by the two strains was compared, the wild type took up 15-fold more radiolabel per cell than did the FU-resistant strain. In the wild type, radiolabel from uracil was incorporated into the soluble pool, RNA, and DNA. The metabolism of uracil appeared to involve a uracil phosphoribosyltransferase activity. Strain Marburg extracts contained this enzyme, whereas FU-resistant strain RTAE-1 extracts had less than 1/10 as much activity. Although it is possible that a change in permeability to the compounds plays a role in the stable resistance of strain RTAE-1, the fact that it lacks the ability to metabolize pyrimidines to nucleotides is sufficient to account for its phenotype.

Study of dynamic strain aging in dual phase steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Queiroz, R.R.U.; Cunha, F.G.G.; Gonzalez, B.M.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Characterization of the high temperature mechanical behavior of a dual phase steel. ► Determination of the effect of dynamic strain aging on the strain hardening rate. ► Identification of the mechanism associated with dynamic strain aging. ► The value of the interaction energy carbon–dislocation in ferrite was confirmed. - Abstract: The susceptibility to dynamic strain aging of a dual phase steel was evaluated by the variation of mechanical properties in tension with the temperature and the strain rate. The tensile tests were performed at temperatures varying between 25 °C and 600 °C and at strain rates ranging from 10 −2 to 5 × 10 −4 s −1 . The studied steel presented typical manifestations related to dynamic strain aging: serrated flow (the Portevin–Le Chatelier effect) for certain combinations of temperature and strain rates; the presence of a plateau in the variation of yield stress with temperature; a maximum in the curves of tensile strength, flow stress, and work hardening exponent as a function of temperature; and a minimum in the variation of total elongation with temperature. The determined apparent activation energy values, associated with the beginning of the Portevin–Le Chatelier effect and the maximum in the variation of flow stress with temperature, were 83 kJ/mol and 156 kJ/mol, respectively. These values suggest that the mechanism responsible for dynamic strain aging in the dual phase steel is the locking of dislocations by carbon atoms in ferrite and that the formation of clusters and/or transition carbides and carbide precipitation in martensite do not interfere with the dynamic strain aging process.

LYOPHILIZATION EFFECT ON PRODUCTIVITY OF BUTANOL-PRODUCING STRAINS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. O. Tigunova

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Investigation of lyophilization effect on the productivity of butanol-producing strains was the aim of our research. For this purpose we used butanol-producing strains; technical glycerol; biomass of switchgrass Panicum virgatum L. Lyophilization was performed using a lyophilization-drying. The effect of the protective medium on residual moisture of freezedrying cultures suspensions depending on the concentration of glucose and sucrose was studed. It was shown that the lowest residual moisture was attained by using glucose and sucrose in amount of 10% and if the samples of freeze-drying bacteria had been saved for one month at 4 οC the productivity did not decrease. As temperature preservation was increased the productivity of the cultures was gradually decreased and it was greatly reduced at 30 οC. So the protective medium composition was optimized for lyophilization of butanol-producing strains as follows: sucrose 10.0%; gelatin 10.0%; agar 0.02%. It was shown that the preservation of samples of freeze-drying bacteria for six months at a temperature of 4 οC did not affect the productivity of strains. It was found that cultures could use glycerol as a carbon source for butanol accumulation before lyophilization.

Infection of inbred rat strains with Rift Valley fever virus: development of a congenic resistant strain and observations on age-dependence of resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, G W; Rosebrock, J A; Johnson, A J; Jennings, G B; Peters, C J

1991-05-01

A congenic rat strain (WF.LEW) was derived from the susceptible Wistar-Furth (WF) (background strain) and the resistant LEW (donor strain) inbred strains and was used to evaluate the phenotypic expression of a dominant Mendelian gene that confers resistance to fatal hepatic disease caused by the ZH501 strain of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). Resistance to hepatic disease developed gradually with age, with full expression at approximately 10 weeks in the WF.LEW and LEW rat strains. The ZH501 strain caused fatal hepatitis in WF rats regardless of age. However, resistance to the SA75 RVFV strain (relatively non-pathogenic for adult rats), was age- and dose-dependent in both WF and LEW rats. The resistance gene transferred to the newly derived WF.LEW congenic rat strain appears to amplify age-dependent resistance of adult rats, resulting in protection against fatal hepatic disease caused by the virulent ZH501 strain. The congenic rat strain will be a valuable asset in elucidating the mechanism of resistance to Rift Valley fever virus governed by the dominant Mendelian gene.

Biochemical Characterization of Lipases Obtained from Acinetobacter psychrotolerans Strains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Şule SEREN

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, extracellular lipases obtained from Acinetobacter psychrotolerans strains (Xg1 and Xg2 were characterized. The effects of varying pH values (3.0-10.0 and various temperatures (10-90 °C on lipase activities were examined. Also the effects of different metal ions, organic solvents and detergents on lipases were studied. The extracellular crude lipases were concentrated using ultrafiltration. Zymogram analysis of these lipases was performed. Lipases exhibited maximum activity at pH 8 and 30 °C.  While lipase obtained from the Xg1 strain exhibited the highest stability in the presence of various organic solvents, including hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform and N,N dietil formamide, lipase obtained from the Xg2 strain was sensitive in the presence of isopropanol, acetonitrile, and butan-1-ol. The lipases of the Xg1 and Xg2 strains were inhibited in the presence of Cu2+ and Zn2+. Also, the lipase of the Xg1 strain was inhibited in the presence of Fe3+. In the presence of EDTA, the lipase activities of the Xg1 and Xg2 strains were partially inhibited. In presence of SDS, they were exactly inhibited. According to the zymogram results, the molecular weights of the lipases obtained from the Acinetobacter psychrotolerans Xg1 and Xg2 strains have been found approximately 37 and 30 kDa, respectively.

Fumonisin and Ochratoxin Production in Industrial Aspergillus niger Strains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frisvad, Jens Christian; Larsen, Thomas Ostenfeld; Thrane, Ulf

2011-01-01

as safe). However, A. niger has the potential to produce two groups of potentially carcinogenic mycotoxins: fumonisins and ochratoxins. In this study all available industrial and many non-industrial strains of A. niger (180 strains) as well as 228 strains from 17 related black Aspergillus species were...... examined for mycotoxin production. None of the related 17 species of black Aspergilli produced fumonisins. Fumonisins (B(2), B(4), and B(6)) were detected in 81% of A. niger, and ochratoxin A in 17%, while 10% of the strains produced both mycotoxins. Among the industrial strains the same ratios were 83......%, 33% and 26% respectively. Some of the most frequently used strains in industry NRRL 337, 3112 and 3122 produced both toxins and several strains used for citric acid production were among the best producers of fumonisins in pure agar culture. Most strains used for other biotechnological processes also...

Clostridium tyrobutyricum strains show wide variation in growth at different NaCl, pH, and temperature conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruusunen, Marjo; Surakka, Anu; Korkeala, Hannu; Lindström, Miia

2012-10-01

Outgrowth from Clostridium tyrobutyricum spores in milk can lead to butyric acid fermentation in cheeses, causing spoilage and economical loss to the dairy industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth of 10 C. tyrobutyricum strains at different NaCl, pH, and temperature conditions. Up to 7.5-fold differences among the maximum growth rates of different strains in the presence of 2.0% NaCl were observed. Five of 10 strains were able to grow in the presence of 3.0% NaCl, while a NaCl concentration of 3.5% was completely inhibitory to all strains. Seven of 10 strains were able to grow at pH 5.0, and up to 4- and 12.5-fold differences were observed among the maximum growth rates of different strains at pH 5.5 and 7.5, respectively. The maximum growth temperatures varied from 40.2 to 43.3°C. The temperature of 10°C inhibited the growth of all strains, while 8 of 10 strains grew at 12 and 15°C. Despite showing no growth, all strains were able to survive at 10°C. In conclusion, wide variation was observed among different C. tyrobutyricum strains in their ability to grow at different stressful conditions. Understanding the physiological diversity among the strains is important when designing food control measures and predictive models for the growth of spoilage organisms in cheese.

Hole doped Dirac states in silicene by biaxial tensile strain

KAUST Repository

Kaloni, Thaneshwor P.

2013-03-11

The effects of biaxial tensile strain on the structure, electronic states, and mechanical properties of silicene are studied by ab-initio calculations. Our results show that up to 5% strain the Dirac cone remains essentially at the Fermi level, while higher strain induces hole doped Dirac states because of weakened Si–Si bonds. We demonstrate that the silicene lattice is stable up to 17% strain. It is noted that the buckling first decreases with the strain (up to 10%) and then increases again, which is accompanied by a band gap variation. We also calculate the Grüneisen parameter and demonstrate a strain dependence similar to that of graphene.

Hole doped Dirac states in silicene by biaxial tensile strain

KAUST Repository

Kaloni, Thaneshwor P.; Cheng, Yingchun; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2013-01-01

The effects of biaxial tensile strain on the structure, electronic states, and mechanical properties of silicene are studied by ab-initio calculations. Our results show that up to 5% strain the Dirac cone remains essentially at the Fermi level, while higher strain induces hole doped Dirac states because of weakened Si–Si bonds. We demonstrate that the silicene lattice is stable up to 17% strain. It is noted that the buckling first decreases with the strain (up to 10%) and then increases again, which is accompanied by a band gap variation. We also calculate the Grüneisen parameter and demonstrate a strain dependence similar to that of graphene.

[Sensitivity to disinfectants of Candid albicans strains isolated from the hospital environment].

Science.gov (United States)

Tadeusiak, B

1998-01-01

In recent years an increase of the incidence of Candida infections caused mainly by C. albicans strains especially in high risk inpatients with neoplasms, decreased immunity, burns and after treatment with multiple antibiotics has been observed. Candida organisms are particularly dangerous for newborns being responsible for about 30% of septicaemia cases in newborns in intensive care units. Fungal infections can be endogenous in origin but exogenous infection sources occur in hospitals. The cause of the latter are errors in aseptic management and insufficiently disinfected medical instruments and equipment. The purpose of the study was a comparison of the sensitivity to disinfectants of C. albicans belonging to two laboratory strains C. albicans PZH and C. albicans ATCC 10231 used for the determination of concentrations of two disinfectants used. Besides that, this sensitivity was determined in 14 strains isolated from the patients and one from the circuit of dialysis solution supply to artificial kidney. The study was carried out by the qualitative suspension method, in which the cells in the fluid were subjected to the action of disinfectants, and by the carrier method in which the cells of the microorganisms were present on the surface of metal cylinders. By the suspension method the sensitivity was determined to chloramine T in concentrations from 5.0% to 0.001%, formalin from 10.0% to 0.25%, glutaraldehyde from 2.0% to 0.1%, Septyl from 3.5% to 0.25%. The exposure time was 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 minutes. The tested strains differed in their sensitivity to the disinfectants used. The greatest interstrain differences were observed in the sensitivity to the disinfectants used. The greatest interstrain differences were observed in the sensitivity to chloramine T. The highest concentrations were tolerated by the strains isolated from the patients and from the artificial kidney circuit as well as by the standard strain ATCC 10231. In the 10-minute exposure time

Description of a taxonomically undefined Sclerotiniaceae strain from withered rotten-grapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenzini, Marilinda; Zapparoli, Giacomo

2016-02-01

A necrotrophic member of the Sclerotiniaceae family (herewith named strain C10) isolated from withered rotten-grapes, is described. Interestingly, the fungus has no defined taxonomic position since it has been impossible to attribute it to an existing genus. Phylogenetic analysis of partial sequences of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit (RPB2), revealed that strain C10 is distantly related to Amphobotrys and Botrytis. This evidence clearly distinguishes this new Sclerotiniaceae member from other taxa of the family. Moreover, its morphological characteristics did not match those of Amphobotrys and Botrytis. Infectivity assays demonstrated that strain C10 could be a potential postharvest pathogen of withered grapes. This study revealed the taxonomic importance of this strain suggesting the existence of a possible new genus, a theory that requires further investigation.

Properties of strain gages at cryogenic temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibata, Nobuo; Fujiyoshi, Toshimitsu.

1978-01-01

At the time of developing superconduction generators, the stress measurement for rotor parts is required to grasp the safety and performance of the rotor at cryogenic temperature, which is cooled with liquid helium. In case of carrying out the stress measurement with strain gages, the problems are as follows. The strain gages and lead wires are exposed to cryogenic temperature from 4 to 10 K and strong magnetic field of about 3T, and subjected to high centrifugal acceleration of about 500G. In order to establish the techniques of the stress measurement under such conditions, the adhesives and damp-proof coatings for strain gages and strain gages themselves in Japan and foreign countries were examined on the properties at cryogenic temperature. As for the properties of strain gages, mainly the apparent strain owing to temperature change was investigated, and the change of the gage factors was studies only at liquid nitrogen temperature. The stress measurement with strain gages at low temperature had been studied in detail down to liquid nitrogen temperature concerning LNG tanks. The experimental apparatus, the samples, the testing methods and the test results of cooling tests on adhesives and damp-proof coatings, and the temperature characteristics of strain gages are reported. The usable adhesives and coatings were found, and correction by accurate temperature measurement is required for apparent strain. (Kako, I.)

From Measurements Errors to a New Strain Gauge Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Lars Pilgaard; Zike, Sanita; Salviato, Marco

2015-01-01

Significant over-prediction of the material stiffness in the order of 1-10% for polymer based composites has been experimentally observed and numerical determined when using strain gauges for strain measurements instead of non-contact methods such as digital image correlation or less stiff method...

Regional strain variations in the human patellar tendon.

Science.gov (United States)

Pearson, Stephen J; Ritchings, Tim; Mohamed, Azlan S A

2014-07-01

Characteristics of localized tendon strain in vivo are largely unknown. The present study examines local tendon strain between the deep, middle, and surface structures at the proximal and distal aspects of the patellar tendon during ramped isometric contractions. Male subjects (age 28.0 ± 6.3 yr) were examined for patellar tendon excursion (anterior, midsection, and posterior) during ramped isometric voluntary contractions using real-time B-mode ultrasonography and dynamometry. Regional tendon excursion measurements were compared using an automated pixel tracking method. Strain was determined from the tendon delta length normalized to initial/resting segment length. Strain increased from 10% to 100% of force for all regions. Significantly greater mean strain was seen for the anterior proximal region compared to the posterior and mid layer of the tendon (7.5% ± 1.1% vs 3.7% ± 0.5% vs 5.5% ± 1.0%; P < 0.05). Similarly, the distal posterior region showed greater mean strain compared to the mid and anterior regions (7.9% ± 0.6% vs 5.0% ± 0.6% vs 5.4% ± 0.6%; P < 0.05). Relative changes in strain differences from 50% to 100% of force for the proximal region were greatest for the anterior to midline regions (4.6% ± 0.6% and 5.6% ± 0.6%, respectively) and those for the distal region were also greatest for the anterior to midline regions (4.4% ± 0.2% and 5.3% ± 0.2%, respectively). The largest mean strain for the proximal region was at the anterior layer (7.5% ± 1.1%) and that for the distal tendon region was at the posterior layer (7.9% ± 0.9%). This study shows significant regional differences in strain during ramped isometric contractions for the patellar tendon. Lower proximal strains in the posterior tendon compared to the anterior region may be associated with the suggestion of "stress shielding" as an etiological factor in insertional tendinopathy.

Effect of various Portland cement paste compositions on early-age strain

Science.gov (United States)

Guzzetta, Alana G.

Early-age strain in paste, mortar, and concrete mixtures was investigated using a new method where the specimen shape was a cone frustum. Strain of the specimen from both the horizontal and vertical directions was captured by height change measurement. The volumetric strain was then calculated as a function of the height change and was plotted versus time. A correlation was found between the slopes of the volumetric strain curve resulting from this test method and the initial setting time of the tested material. An initial evaluation of the repeatability of this innovative test method was conducted. The early-age strain effects of aggregate volume, shrinkage reducing admixture, water-cementitious ratio (w/cm), and partial cement replacement with supplementary cementitious materials were tested and individually compared. From these comparisons, it was observed that ambient temperature, bleed water development, and rheological properties had a significant impact on the volumetric strain results. Data showed increased strain as aggregate volume was reduced and as the w/cm was changed from 0.25 up to 0.50. The addition of shrinkage reducing admixture generally caused an increase in the 36-hour volumetric strain value. In most of the mixtures, cement replacement with 20% fly ash or 10% metakaolin reduced the measured volumetric strain when the w/cm was 0.30. Replacement of cement with 10% silica fume caused an insignificant change in volumetric strain results.

Static strain-aging in commercial purity alpha titanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donoso, J.R.; Reed-Hill, R.E.

1977-01-01

Static strain-aging was investigated in commercial purity α-Ti, containing 0.41 at. percent of oxygen as the principal interstitial impurity. 17 μM grain size specimens, prestrained to 0.02 strain at a nominal strain-rate of 3.3 x 10 -4 s -1 , were aged in situ between 555 and 630 0 K for lengths of time between 150 and 2.55 x 10 5 seconds. Both the upper and lower yield point increments were employed as measures of the aging progress. Under the stated conditions, the static strain-aging response of the titanium appeared to consist of four stages, of which only Stages 1 and 2 were considered in this work. Stage 1 corresponded to a Haasen and Kelly type of yield point, while Stage 2, after correcting for the time-independent yield point increment of Stage 1, conformed to Cottrell aging, i.e., the increase in flow stress after aging followed a t/sup 2 / 3 / behavior. The activation energy deduced for the process is in good agreement with that for the diffusion of oxygen in titanium

Aerobic biotransformation of 3-methylindole to ring cleavage products by Cupriavidus sp. strain KK10.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukuoka, Kimiko; Ozeki, Yasuhiro; Kanaly, Robert A

2015-09-01

3-Methylindole, also referred to as skatole, is a pollutant of environmental concern due to its persistence, mobility and potential health impacts. Petroleum refining, intensive livestock production and application of biosolids to agricultural lands result in releases of 3-methylindole to the environment. Even so, little is known about the aerobic biodegradation of 3-methylindole and comprehensive biotransformation pathways have not been established. Using glycerol as feedstock, the soil bacterium Cupriavidus sp. strain KK10 biodegraded 100 mg/L of 3-methylindole in 24 h. Cometabolic 3-methylindole biodegradation was confirmed by the identification of biotransformation products through liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry analyses. In all, 14 3-methylindole biotransformation products were identified which revealed that biotransformation occurred through different pathways that included carbocyclic aromatic ring-fission of 3-methylindole to single-ring pyrrole carboxylic acids. This work provides first comprehensive evidence for the aerobic biotransformation mechanisms of 3-methylindole by a soil bacterium and expands our understanding of the biodegradative capabilities of members of the genus Cupriavidus towards heteroaromatic pollutants.

Haemophilus ducreyi Cutaneous Ulcer Strains Diverged from Both Class I and Class II Genital Ulcer Strains: Implications for Epidemiological Studies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dharanesh Gangaiah

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Haemophilus ducreyi has emerged as a major cause of cutaneous ulcers (CU in yaws-endemic regions of the tropics in the South Pacific, South East Asia and Africa. H. ducreyi was once thought only to cause the genital ulcer (GU disease chancroid; GU strains belong to 2 distinct classes, class I and class II. Using whole-genome sequencing of 4 CU strains from Samoa, 1 from Vanuatu and 1 from Papua New Guinea, we showed that CU strains diverged from the class I strain 35000HP and that one CU strain expressed β-lactamase. Recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released the genomes of 11 additional CU strains from Vanuatu and Ghana; however, the evolutionary relationship of these CU strains to previously-characterized CU and GU strains is unknown.We performed phylogenetic analysis of 17 CU and 10 GU strains. Class I and class II GU strains formed two distinct clades. The class I strains formed two subclades, one containing 35000HP and HD183 and the other containing the remainder of the class I strains. Twelve of the CU strains formed a subclone under the class I 35000HP subclade, while 2 CU strains formed a subclone under the other class I subclade. Unexpectedly, 3 of the CU strains formed a subclone under the class II clade. Phylogenetic analysis of dsrA-hgbA-ncaA sequences yielded a tree similar to that of whole-genome phylogenetic tree.CU strains diverged from multiple lineages within both class I and class II GU strains. Multilocus sequence typing of dsrA-hgbA-ncaA could be reliably used for epidemiological investigation of CU and GU strains. As class II strains grow relatively poorly and are relatively more susceptible to vancomycin than class I strains, these findings have implications for methods to recover CU strains. Comparison of contemporary CU and GU isolates would help clarify the relationship between these entities.

Haemophilus ducreyi Cutaneous Ulcer Strains Diverged from Both Class I and Class II Genital Ulcer Strains: Implications for Epidemiological Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Gangaiah, Dharanesh; Spinola, Stanley M

2016-12-01

Haemophilus ducreyi has emerged as a major cause of cutaneous ulcers (CU) in yaws-endemic regions of the tropics in the South Pacific, South East Asia and Africa. H. ducreyi was once thought only to cause the genital ulcer (GU) disease chancroid; GU strains belong to 2 distinct classes, class I and class II. Using whole-genome sequencing of 4 CU strains from Samoa, 1 from Vanuatu and 1 from Papua New Guinea, we showed that CU strains diverged from the class I strain 35000HP and that one CU strain expressed β-lactamase. Recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released the genomes of 11 additional CU strains from Vanuatu and Ghana; however, the evolutionary relationship of these CU strains to previously-characterized CU and GU strains is unknown. We performed phylogenetic analysis of 17 CU and 10 GU strains. Class I and class II GU strains formed two distinct clades. The class I strains formed two subclades, one containing 35000HP and HD183 and the other containing the remainder of the class I strains. Twelve of the CU strains formed a subclone under the class I 35000HP subclade, while 2 CU strains formed a subclone under the other class I subclade. Unexpectedly, 3 of the CU strains formed a subclone under the class II clade. Phylogenetic analysis of dsrA-hgbA-ncaA sequences yielded a tree similar to that of whole-genome phylogenetic tree. CU strains diverged from multiple lineages within both class I and class II GU strains. Multilocus sequence typing of dsrA-hgbA-ncaA could be reliably used for epidemiological investigation of CU and GU strains. As class II strains grow relatively poorly and are relatively more susceptible to vancomycin than class I strains, these findings have implications for methods to recover CU strains. Comparison of contemporary CU and GU isolates would help clarify the relationship between these entities.

Cells as strain-cued automata

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Brian N.; Snead, Malcolm L.

2016-02-01

homogeneous populations and network formation by invaders, morphological outcomes are governed by the ratio of the rates of two competing time dependent processes, one a migration velocity and the other a relaxation velocity related to the propagation of strain information. Relaxation velocities are approximately constant for different species and organs, whereas cell migration rates vary by three orders of magnitude. We conjecture that developmental processes use rapid cell migration to achieve certain outcomes, and slow migration to achieve others. We infer from analysis of host relaxation during network formation that a transition exists in the mechanical response of a host cell from animate to inanimate behavior when its strain changes at a rate that exceeds 10-4-10-3 s-1. The transition has previously been observed in experiments conducted in vitro.

Increased effects of machining damage in beryllium observed at high strain rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beitscher, S.; Brewer, A.W.; Corle, R.R.

1980-01-01

Tensile tests at both low and high strain rates, and also impact shear tests, were performed on a weldable grade powder-source beryllium. Impact energies increased by a factor of 2 to 3 from the as-machined level after etching or annealing. Similar increases in the ductility from machining damage removal were observed from the tensile data at the higher strain rate (10 s -1 ) while an insignificant increase in elongation was measured at the lower strain rate (10 -4 s -1 ). High strain-rate tests appear to be more sensitive and reliable for evaluating machining practice and damage removal methods for beryllium components subjected to sudden loads. 2 tables

Strain Specific Factors Control Effector Gene Silencing in Phytophthora sojae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sirjana Devi Shrestha

Full Text Available The Phytophthora sojae avirulence gene Avr3a encodes an effector that is capable of triggering immunity on soybean plants carrying the resistance gene Rps3a. P. sojae strains that express Avr3a are avirulent to Rps3a plants, while strains that do not are virulent. To study the inheritance of Avr3a expression and virulence towards Rps3a, genetic crosses and self-fertilizations were performed. A cross between P. sojae strains ACR10 X P7076 causes transgenerational gene silencing of Avr3a allele, and this effect is meiotically stable up to the F5 generation. However, test-crosses of F1 progeny (ACR10 X P7076 with strain P6497 result in the release of silencing of Avr3a. Expression of Avr3a in the progeny is variable and correlates with the phenotypic penetrance of the avirulence trait. The F1 progeny from a direct cross of P6497 X ACR10 segregate for inheritance for Avr3a expression, a result that could not be explained by parental imprinting or heterozygosity. Analysis of small RNA arising from the Avr3a gene sequence in the parental strains and hybrid progeny suggests that the presence of small RNA is necessary but not sufficient for gene silencing. Overall, we conclude that inheritance of the Avr3a gene silenced phenotype relies on factors that are variable among P. sojae strains.

Strain rates estimated by geodetic observations in the Borborema Province, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Marotta, Giuliano Sant'Anna; França, George Sand; Monico, João Francisco Galera; Bezerra, Francisco Hilário R.; Fuck, Reinhardt Adolfo

2015-03-01

The strain rates for the Borborema Province, located in northeastern Brazil, were estimated in this study. For this purpose, we used GNSS tracking stations with a minimum of two years data. The data were processed using the software GIPSY, version 6.2, provided by the JPL of the California Institute of Technology. The PPP method was used to process the data using the non-fiducial approach. Satellite orbits and clock were supplied by the JPL. Absolute phase center offsets and variations for both the receiver and the satellite antennaes were applied, together with ambiguity resolution; corrections of the first and second order effects of the ionosphere and troposphere models adopting the VMF1 mapping function; 10° elevation mask; FES2004 oceanic load model and terrestrial tide WahrK1 PolTid FreqDepLove OctTid. From a multi annual solution, involving at least 2 years of continuous data, the coordinates and velocities as well as their accuracies were estimated. The strain rates were calculated using the Delaunay triangulation and the Finite Element Method. The results show that the velocity direction is predominantly west and north, with maximum variation of 4.0 ± 1.5 mm/year and 4.1 ± 0.5 mm/year for the x and y components, respectively. The highest strain values of extension and contraction were 0.109552 × 10-6 ± 3.65 × 10-10/year and -0.072838 × 10-6 ± 2.32 × 10-10/year, respectively. In general, the results show that the highest strain and variation of velocity values are located close to the Potiguar Basin, region that concentrates seismic activities of magnitudes of up to 5.2 mb. We conclude that the contraction direction of strain is consistent with the maximum horizontal stress derived from focal mechanism and breakout data. In addition, we conclude that the largest strain rates occur around the Potiguar Basin, an area already recognized as one of the major sites of seismicity in intraplate South America.

Dynamic strain aging of zircaloy-4 PWR fuel cladding in biaxial stress state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Ki Seong; Lee, Byong Whi

1989-01-01

The expanding copper mandrel test performed at three strain rates (3.2x10E-5/s,2.0x10E-6/s and 1.2x10E-7/s) over 553-873 K temperature range by varying the heating rates (8-10deg C/s,1-2deg C/s and 0.5deg C/s) in air and in vacuum (5x10E-5 torr). The yield stress peak, the strain rate sensitivity minimum and the activation volume peaks could be explained in terms of the dynamic strain aging. The activation energy for dynamic strain aging obtained from the yield stress peak temperature and strain rate was 196 KJ/mol and this value was in good agreement with the activation energy for oxygen diffusion in α-zirconium and Zircaloy-2 (207-220KJ/mol). Therefore, oxygen atoms are responsible for the dynamic strain aging which appeared between 573K and 673K. The yield stress increase due to the oxidation was obtained by comparing the yield stress in air with that in vacuum and represented by the percentage increase of yield stress (σ y a -σ y v /σ y v ). The slower the strain rate, the greater the percentage increase occurs. In order to estimate the yield stress of PWR fuel cladding material under the service environment, the yield stress in water was obtained by comparing the oxidation rate in air that in water assuming the relationship between the oxygen pick-up amount and the yield stress increase. (Author)

Effect of strain rate and dislocation density on the twinning behavior in tantalum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Florando, Jeffrey N., E-mail: florando1@llnl.gov; Swift, Damian C.; Barton, Nathan R.; McNaney, James M.; Kumar, Mukul [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave., Livermore, CA 94550 (United States); El-Dasher, Bassem S. [TerraPower LLC, Bellevue, WA 98005 (United States); Chen, Changqiang [Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Ramesh, K. T.; Hemker, Kevin J. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)

2016-04-15

The conditions which affect twinning in tantalum have been investigated across a range of strain rates and initial dislocation densities. Tantalum samples were subjected to a range of strain rates, from 10{sup −4}/s to 10{sup 3}/s under uniaxial stress conditions, and under laser-induced shock-loading conditions. In this study, twinning was observed at 77 K at strain rates from 1/s to 10{sup 3}/s, and during laser-induced shock experiments. The effect of the initial dislocation density, which was imparted by deforming the material to different amounts of pre-strain, was also studied, and it was shown that twinning is suppressed after a given amount of pre-strain, even as the global stress continues to increase. These results indicate that the conditions for twinning cannot be represented solely by a critical global stress value, but are also dependent on the evolution of the dislocation density. In addition, the analysis shows that if twinning is initiated, the nucleated twins may continue to grow as a function of strain, even as the dislocation density continues to increase.

Development of new strains and related SCAR markers for an edible mushroom, Hypsizygus marmoreus.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Chang Y; Park, Jeong-Eun; Lee, Jia; Kim, Jong-Kuk; Ro, Hyeon-Su

2012-02-01

New fast-growing and less bitter varieties of Hypsizygus marmoreus were developed by crossing monokaryotic mycelia from a commercial strain (Hm1-1) and a wild strain (Hm3-10). Six of the better tasting new strains with a shorter cultivation period were selected from 400 crosses in a large-scale cultivation experiment. We attempted to develop sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers to identify the new strain from other commercial strains. For the SCAR markers, we conducted molecular genetic analysis on a wild strain and the eight most cultivated H. marmoreus strains collected from various areas in East Asia by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA. Ten unique DNA bands for a commercial Hm1-1 strain and the Hm3-10 strain were extracted and their sequences were determined. Primer sets were designed based on the determined sequences. PCR reactions with the primer sets revealed that four primer sets successfully discriminated the new strains from other commercial strains and are thus suitable for commercial purposes. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prediction (early recognition) of emerging flu strain clusters

Science.gov (United States)

Li, X.; Phillips, J. C.

2017-08-01

Early detection of incipient dominant influenza strains is one of the key steps in the design and manufacture of an effective annual influenza vaccine. Here we report the most current results for pandemic H3N2 flu vaccine design. A 2006 model of dimensional reduction (compaction) of viral mutational complexity derives two-dimensional Cartesian mutational maps (2DMM) that exhibit an emergent dominant strain as a small and distinct cluster of as few as 10 strains. We show that recent extensions of this model can detect incipient strains one year or more in advance of their dominance in the human population. Our structural interpretation of our unexpectedly rich 2DMM involves sialic acid, and is based on nearly 6000 strains in a series of recent 3-year time windows. Vaccine effectiveness is predicted best by analyzing dominant mutational epitopes.

Estimation of lattice strain in nanocrystalline RuO2 by Williamson-Hall and size-strain plot methods

Science.gov (United States)

Sivakami, R.; Dhanuskodi, S.; Karvembu, R.

2016-01-01

RuO2 nanoparticles (RuO2 NPs) have been successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method. Structure and the particle size have been determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). UV-Vis spectra reveal that the optical band gap of RuO2 nanoparticles is red shifted from 3.95 to 3.55 eV. BET measurements show a high specific surface area (SSA) of 118-133 m2/g and pore diameter (10-25 nm) has been estimated by Barret-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) method. The crystallite size and lattice strain in the samples have been investigated by Williamson-Hall (W-H) analysis assuming uniform deformation, deformation stress and deformation energy density, and the size-strain plot method. All other relevant physical parameters including stress, strain and energy density have been calculated. The average crystallite size and the lattice strain evaluated from XRD measurements are in good agreement with the results of TEM.

Twenty-eight divergent polysaccharide loci specifying within and amongst strain capsule diversity in three strains of Bacteroides fragilis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Patrick, S.; Blakely, G.W.; Houston, S.

2010-01-01

including a putative Wzx flippase and Wzy polymerase, was confirmed in all three strains, despite a lack of cross-reactivity between NCTC 9343 and 638R surface polysaccharide-specific antibodies by immunolabelling and microscopy. Genomic comparisons revealed an exceptional level of polysaccharide...... biosynthesis locus diversity. Of the 10 divergent polysaccharide associated loci apparent in each strain, none are similar between NCTC9343 and 638R. YCH46 shares one locus with NCTC9343, confirmed by MAb labelling, and a second different locus with 638R, making a total of 28 divergent polysaccharide...... restriction and modification systems that act to prevent acquisition of foreign DNA. The level of amongst strain diversity in polysaccharide biosynthesis loci is unprecedented....

On strain and stress in living cells

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Brian N.; Smith, David W.

2014-11-01

in detail. However, estimates can be inferred from the known relative velocities of the cells' centers of mass. When averaged over a volume comparable to the cell size, representative values of the strain are, to order of magnitude, ɛ0≈0.1 and γ0≈0.1. The shape distortions of cells seen, for example, in Fig. 1c, imply peak strains in minor segments of a cell of magnitude unity, ɛ0≈1 and γ0≈1; these values represent the upper bound of plausible values and are included for discussion of the extremes of attainable strain energy rates.Given the strain magnitudes, the strain rates follow from the fact that a cell switches from one contacting neighbor in the adjacent row to the next in approximately 0.25 d, during which motion the strains might vary from zero to their maximum values and back again. Thus the most probable shear strain rate is inferred to be γ˙0=10-6 s-1 and the most probable tensile strain rate is inferred to be ɛ˙0≈10-6 s-1, with high bounds γ˙0=10-5 s-1 and ɛ˙0=10-5 s-1.

Modulation of virulence and antibiotic susceptibility of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains by Enterococcus faecium probiotic strain culture fractions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ditu, Lia-Mara; Chifiriuc, Mariana Carmen; Bezirtzoglou, Eugenia; Voltsi, Chrysa; Bleotu, Coralia; Pelinescu, Diana; Mihaescu, Grigore; Lazar, Veronica

2011-12-01

The increasing rate of antimicrobial resistance drastically reduced the efficiency of conventional antibiotics and led to the reconsideration of the interspecies interactions in influencing bacterial virulence and response to therapy. The aim of the study was the investigation of the influence of the soluble and cellular fractions of Enterococcus (E.) faecium CMGB16 probiotic culture on the virulence and antibiotic resistance markers expression in clinical enteropathogenic Escherichia (E.) coli strains. The 7 clinical enteropathogenic E. coli strains, one standard E. coli ATCC 25,922 and one Bacillus (B.) cereus strains were cultivated in nutrient broth, aerobically at 37 °C, for 24 h. The E. faecium CMGB16 probiotic strain was cultivated in anaerobic conditions, at 37 °C in MRS (Man Rogosa Sharpe) broth, and co-cultivated with two pathogenic strains (B. cereus and E. coli O28) culture fractions (supernatant, washed sediment and heat-inactivated culture) for 6 h, at 37 °C. After co-cultivation, the soluble and cellular fractions of the probiotic strain cultivated in the presence of two pathogenic strains were separated by centrifugation (6000 rpm, 10 min), heat-inactivated (15 min, 100 °C) and co-cultivated with the clinical enteropathogenic E. coli strains in McConkey broth, for 24 h, at 37 °C, in order to investigate the influence of the probiotic fractions on the adherence capacity and antibiotic susceptibility. All tested probiotic combinations influenced the adherence pattern of E. coli tested strains. The enteropathogenic E. coli strains susceptibility to aminoglycosides, beta-lactams and quinolones was increased by all probiotic combinations and decreased for amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. This study demonstrates that the plurifactorial anti-infective action of probiotics is also due to the modulation of virulence factors and antibiotic susceptibility expression in E. coli pathogenic strains. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of the Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides strains from fresh vegetables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimić Gordana R.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Strains synthesizing extracellular polysaccharide dextran on a medium with 10% sucrose were isolated from different kind of vegetables (cabbage, cucumber, cauliflower, kohlrabi, carrot, green beans, red beet, pepper, eggplant, radish. Carbohydrate fermentation was examined using a bioMerieux API 50 CHL test system. Among micropopulations with characteristic spherical cell morphology, 94.9% belonged to Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides and 5.1% were identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum. According to fermentation of pentoses L. mesenteroides strains were divided into three groups with a certain number of biotypes; 10 strains were tested on acid production. .

Different resistance patterns of reference and field strains of Brucella abortus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karina L. Miranda

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth of the B. abortus reference strains and field isolates on media containing different inhibitor agents. Reference strains were seeded on tryptose agar containing: i-erythritol (1.0 mg/mL, fuchsin (20 μg/mL and 80 μg/mL, thionin (2.5 μg/mL and 10 μg/mL, rifampicin (200 μg/mL and safranin O (200 μg/mL. Field isolates were tested only on media containing i-erythritol, rifampicin and thionin. Furthermore, each suspension was also inoculated on tryptose agar incubated in air, to test its ability to grow without CO2. Sensitivity to fuchsin was similar among reference strains evaluated. Growth of S19, 544 and 2308 but not RB51 were inhibited on media containing rifampicin. Medium with safranin O showed no inhibition for RB51, 544 and 2308, but it partially inhibited the S19 growth as well as medium containing i-erythritol. Treatment/control growth ratio for 2308 on tryptose agar containing thionin (2.5 μg/mL was approximatelly 1.0, whereas S19 and RB51 showed 0.85 and 0.89 ratios, respectively. Growth of 544, S19 and RB51 but not 2308 was completely inhibited on medium with thionin (10 μg/mL. All field strains grew on medium containing i-erythritol, but were completelly inhibited by rifampicin. With exception of A1 (B. abortus biovar 3 all field isolates grew on medium with thionin, although some strains showed a treatment/control growth ratio of 0.75–0.80 (10 μg/mL. These results showed that tryptose agar with thionin, i-erythritol or rifampicin could be useful for differentiating vaccine, challenge and field strains of B. abortus.

Breeding study of hyper citric acid strain by progressive heavy ion irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Jihong; Hu Wei; Li Wenjian; Liu Jing; Wang Shuyang; Wei Zihao

2013-01-01

Heavy "1"2C"6"+ ion beams in various high doses were employed to irradiate H3001 strain for screening Aspergillus niger strain for hyper citric acid production. Three high-yield strains were obtained after shaker fermentation test. Among the three strains, the strain hw317 was implemented shaker fermentation for stability test and 10∼100 L pilot fermentation tank for citric acid productive maximization. Acid-base neutralization method was applied to determinate the content of citric acid in fermented liquid. The results showed that: when the secondary heavy ion "1"2C"6"+ dose was 857.8 Gy, both of the fatality rate (94.5%) and the positive mutation rate (8%) were highest. Through the shaker fermentation tests and 10∼100 L pilot fermentation test, one strain hw317 was screened and obtained for hyper citric acid production. Consequently, the final citric acid acidity can reach up to 19.2±0.2% with controlling fermentation cycle for 60 h. (authors)

Seismicity and strain transients in the Gulf of Corinth (Greece)

Science.gov (United States)

Canitano, A.; Bernard, P.; Linde, A. T.; Sacks, S. I.; Boudin, F.

2009-12-01

The Gulf of Corinth (Greece) is one of the most seismic regions in Europe, producing some earthquakes of magnitude greater than 5.8 in the last 35 years, 1 to 1.5 cm/yr of north-south extension, and frequent seismic swarms. This structure is a 110 km long, N110°E oriented graben bounded by systems of very recent normal faults. This zone thus provides an ideal site for investigating in situ the physics of earthquake sources and for developing efficient seismic hazard reduction procedures. The Corinth Rift Laboratory (CRL) project is concentrated in the western part of the rift, around the city of Aigion, where instrumental seismicity and strain rate is highest. The CRL Network is made up about fifteen seismic stations as well as tiltmeters, strainmeters or GPS in order to study the local seismicity, and to observe and model the short and long term mechanics of the normal fault system. The instrumental seismicity in the Aigion zone clearly shows a strong concentration of small earthquakes between 5 and 10 km. In order to study slow transient deformation, two borehole strainmeters have been installed in the Gulf (Trizonia, Monasteraki). The strainmeter installed in the Trizonia island is continuously recording the horizontal strain at 150m depth with a resolution better than 10-9. The dominant signal is the earth and sea tidal effects (few 10-7 strain), this one is modulated by the mechanical effects of the free oscillations of the Gulf with periods between 8 and 40 min. The barometric pressure fluctuations acts in combination with the mean sea level variation at longer periods and both effects are not independant. The comparison between the strain data and the two forcing signals (sea-level, barometric pressure) shows clearly a non zero phase delay of the sea-level. The analysis of time correlations between the signals in differents frequency range exhibits that the sea level delay and the strainmeter/sea-level coupling coefficient are increasing with period (about

Account of internal friction when estimating recoverable creep strain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demidov, A.S.

1986-01-01

It is supposed that a difference of empirical and calculated data on the creep strain recovery for Kh18N10T steel under conditions of cyclic variations in stress is specified by the effect of internal friction. In the accepted model of creep β-flow is considered to be reversible and γ-flow- irreversible. Absorptivity is determined as a ratio of the difference between the expended work and work of strain recovery forces to the work expended in cycle. A notion of the equivalent stress acting in the period of the creep strain recovery is introduced. Results of the calculation according to the empirical formula where absorptivity was introduced into are compared with empirical data obtained for Kh18N10T steel at 750 deg C

High strain rate tensile properties of annealed 2 1/4 Cr--1 Mo steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klueh, R.L.; Oakes, R.E. Jr.

1975-01-01

The high strain rate tensile properties of annealed 2 1 / 4 Cr-1 Mo steel were determined and the tensile behavior from 25 to 566 0 C and strain rates of 2.67 x 10 -6 to 144/s were described. Above 0.1/s at 25 0 C, both the yield stress and the ultimate tensile strength increased rapidly with increasing strain rate. As the temperature was increased, a dynamic strain aging peak appeared in the ultimate tensile strength-temperature curves. The peak height was a maximum at about 350 0 C and 2.67 x 10 -6 /s. With increasing strain rate, a peak of decreased height occurred at progressively higher temperatures. The major effect of strain rate on ductility occurred at elevated temperatures, where a decrease in strain rate caused an increase in total elongation and reduction in area

Use of colony-based bacterial strain typing for tracking the fate of Lactobacillus strains during human consumption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Drevinek Pavel

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB are important components of the healthy gut flora and have been used extensively as probiotics. Understanding the cultivable diversity of LAB before and after probiotic administration, and being able to track the fate of administered probiotic isolates during feeding are important parameters to consider in the design of clinical trials to assess probiotic efficacy. Several methods may be used to identify bacteria at the strain level, however, PCR-based methods such as Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD are particularly suited to rapid analysis. We examined the cultivable diversity of LAB in the human gut before and after feeding with two Lactobacillus strains, and also tracked the fate of these two administered strains using a RAPD technique. Results A RAPD typing scheme was developed to genetically type LAB isolates from a wide range of species, and optimised for direct application to bacterial colony growth. A high-throughput strategy for fingerprinting the cultivable diversity of human faeces was developed and used to determine: (i the initial cultivable LAB strain diversity in the human gut, and (ii the fate of two Lactobacillus strains (Lactobacillus salivarius NCIMB 30211 and Lactobacillus acidophilus NCIMB 30156 contained within a capsule that was administered in a small-scale human feeding study. The L. salivarius strain was not cultivated from the faeces of any of the 12 volunteers prior to capsule administration, but appeared post-feeding in four. Strains matching the L. acidophilus NCIMB 30156 feeding strain were found in the faeces of three volunteers prior to consumption; after taking the Lactobacillus capsule, 10 of the 12 volunteers were culture positive for this strain. The appearance of both Lactobacillus strains during capsule consumption was statistically significant (p Conclusion We have shown that genetic strain typing of the cultivable human gut microbiota can be

Screening of probiotic activities of forty-seven strains of Lactobacillus spp. by in vitro techniques and evaluation of the colonization ability of five selected strains in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobsen, C N; Rosenfeldt Nielsen, V; Hayford, A E; Møller, P L; Michaelsen, K F; Paerregaard, A; Sandström, B; Tvede, M; Jakobsen, M

1999-11-01

The probiotic potential of 47 selected strains of Lactobacillus spp. was investigated. The strains were examined for resistance to pH 2.5 and 0.3% oxgall, adhesion to Caco-2 cells, and antimicrobial activities against enteric pathogenic bacteria in model systems. From the results obtained in vitro, five strains, Lactobacillus rhamnosus 19070-2, L. reuteri DSM 12246, L. rhamnosus LGG, L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis CHCC 2329, and L. casei subsp. alactus CHCC 3137, were selected for in vivo studies. The daily consumption by 12 healthy volunteers of two doses of 10(10) freeze-dried bacteria of the selected strains for 18 days was followed by a washout period of 17 days. Fecal samples were taken at days 0 and 18 and during the washout period at days 5 and 11. Lactobacillus isolates were initially identified by API 50CHL and internal transcribed spacer PCR, and their identities were confirmed by restriction enzyme analysis in combination with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Among the tested strains, L. rhamnosus 19070-2, L. reuteri DSM 12246, and L. rhamnosus LGG were identified most frequently in fecal samples; they were found in 10, 8, and 7 of the 12 samples tested during the intervention period, respectively, whereas reisolations were less frequent in the washout period. The bacteria were reisolated in concentrations from 10(5) to 10(8) cells/g of feces. Survival and reisolation of the bacteria in vivo appeared to be linked to pH tolerance, adhesion, and antimicrobial properties in vitro.

Study of creep behaviour in P-doped copper with slow strain rate tensile tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xuexing Yao; Sandstroem, Rolf

2000-08-01

Pure copper with addition of phosphorous is planned to be used to construct the canisters for spent nuclear fuel. The copper canisters can be exposed to a creep deformation up to 2-4% at temperatures in services. The ordinary creep strain tests with dead weight loading are generally employed to study the creep behaviour; however, it is reported that an initial plastic deformation of 5-15% takes place when loading the creep specimens at lower temperatures. The slow strain rate tensile test is an alternative to study creep deformation behaviour of materials. Ordinary creep test and slow strain rate tensile test can give the same information in the secondary creep stage. The advantage of the tensile test is that the starting phase is much more controlled than in a creep test. In a tensile test the initial deformation behaviour can be determined and the initial strain of less than 5% can be modelled. In this study slow strain rate tensile tests at strain rate of 10 -4 , 10 -5 , 10 -6 , and 10 -7 /s at 75, 125 and 175 degrees C have been performed on P-doped pure Cu to supplement creep data from conventional creep tests. The deformation behaviour has successfully been modelled. It is shown that the slow strain rate tensile tests can be implemented to study the creep deformation behaviours of pure Cu

Modelling plastic deformation of metals over a wide range of strain rates using irreversible thermodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Mingxin; Rivera-Diaz-del-Castillo, Pedro E J; Zwaag, Sybrand van der; Bouaziz, Olivier

2009-01-01

Based on the theory of irreversible thermodynamics, the present work proposes a dislocation-based model to describe the plastic deformation of FCC metals over wide ranges of strain rates. The stress-strain behaviour and the evolution of the average dislocation density are derived. It is found that there is a transitional strain rate (∼ 10 4 s -1 ) over which the phonon drag effects appear, resulting in a significant increase in the flow stress and the average dislocation density. The model is applied to pure Cu deformed at room temperature and at strain rates ranging from 10 -5 to 10 6 s -1 showing good agreement with experimental results.

Application of a fiber optic grating strain sensor for the measurement of strain under irradiation environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaji, Yoshiyuki; Matsui, Yoshinori; Kita, Satoshi; Ide, Hiroshi; Tsukada, Takashi; Tsuji, Hirokazu

2002-01-01

In the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI), in-pile strain measurement techniques have been developed using the Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR). In order to evaluate the performance of fiber optic grating sensors under irradiation environment, heat-up and performance tests at elevated temperatures before irradiation and in-pile tests were performed in JMTR. It was determined that it is possible to measure strain under irradiation environment below 1x10 23 n m -2 (E>1 MeV) by a fiber optic grating sensor, because in-pile temperature characteristics were in good agreement with out-of-pile test results

High Strain Rate Testing of Welded DOP-26 Iridium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schneibel, J. H. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Miller, R. G. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Carmichael, C. A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Fox, E. E. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Ulrich, G. B. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); George, E. P. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-08-01

The iridium alloy DOP-26 is used to produce Clad Vent Set cups that protect the radioactive fuel in radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) which provide electric power for spacecraft and rovers. In a previous study, the tensile properties of DOP-26 were measured over a wide range of strain rates and temperatures and reported in ORNL/TM-2007/81. While that study established the properties of the base material, the fabrication of the heat sources requires welding, and the mechanical properties of welded DOP-26 have not been extensively characterized in the past. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the mechanical properties of DOP-26 specimens containing a transverse weld in the center of their gage sections. Tensile tests were performed at room temperature, 750, 900, and 1090°C and engineering strain rates of 1×10^-3 and 10 s^-1. Room temperature testing was performed in air, while testing at elevated temperatures was performed in a vacuum better than 1×10^-4 Torr. The welded specimens had a significantly higher yield stress, by up to a factor of ~2, than the non-welded base material. The yield stress did not depend on the strain rate except at 1090°C, where it was slightly higher for the faster strain rate. The ultimate tensile stress, on the other hand, was significantly higher for the faster strain rate at temperatures of 750°C and above. At 750°C and above, the specimens deformed at 1×10^-3 s^-1 showed pronounced necking resulting sometimes in perfect chisel-edge fracture. The specimens deformed at 10 s^-1 exhibited this fracture behavior only at the highest test temperature, 1090°C. Fracture occurred usually in the fusion zone of the weld and was, in most cases, primarily intergranular.

Biodegradation of furfural by Bacillus subtilis strain DS3.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Dan; Bao, Jianguo; Lu, Jueming; Lv, Quanxi

2015-07-01

An aerobic bacterial strain DS3, capable of growing on furfural as sole carbon source, was isolated from actived sludge of wastewater treatment plant in a diosgenin factory after enrichment. Based on morphological physiological tests as well as 16SrDNA sequence and Biolog analyses it was identified as Bacillus subtilis. The study revealed that strain DS3 utilized furfural, as analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Under following conditions: pH 8.0, temperature 35 degrees C, 150 rpm and 10% inoculum, strain DS3 showed 31.2% furfural degradation. Furthermore, DS3 strain was found to tolerate furfural concentration as high as 6000 mg(-1). The ability of Bacillus subtilis strain DS3 to degrade furfural has been demonstrated for the first time in the present study.

Dynamic strains for earthquake source characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Barbour, Andrew J.; Crowell, Brendan W

2017-01-01

Strainmeters measure elastodynamic deformation associated with earthquakes over a broad frequency band, with detection characteristics that complement traditional instrumentation, but they are commonly used to study slow transient deformation along active faults and at subduction zones, for example. Here, we analyze dynamic strains at Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) borehole strainmeters (BSM) associated with 146 local and regional earthquakes from 2004–2014, with magnitudes from M 4.5 to 7.2. We find that peak values in seismic strain can be predicted from a general regression against distance and magnitude, with improvements in accuracy gained by accounting for biases associated with site–station effects and source–path effects, the latter exhibiting the strongest influence on the regression coefficients. To account for the influence of these biases in a general way, we include crustal‐type classifications from the CRUST1.0 global velocity model, which demonstrates that high‐frequency strain data from the PBO BSM network carry information on crustal structure and fault mechanics: earthquakes nucleating offshore on the Blanco fracture zone, for example, generate consistently lower dynamic strains than earthquakes around the Sierra Nevada microplate and in the Salton trough. Finally, we test our dynamic strain prediction equations on the 2011 M 9 Tohoku‐Oki earthquake, specifically continuous strain records derived from triangulation of 137 high‐rate Global Navigation Satellite System Earth Observation Network stations in Japan. Moment magnitudes inferred from these data and the strain model are in agreement when Global Positioning System subnetworks are unaffected by spatial aliasing.

Establishment of a nanoparticle-assisted RT-PCR assay to distinguish field strains and attenuated strains of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yu; Wang, Gui-Hua; Cui, Yu-Dong; Cui, Shang-Jin

2016-09-01

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) can cause serious disease and even death in neonatal piglets, resulting in serious damage to the swine industry worldwide. Open reading frame 3 (ORF3) is the only accessory gene in the PEDV genome. Previous studies have indicated that PEDV vaccine strains have a partial deletion in ORF3. In this study, a nanoparticle-assisted polymerase chain reaction (nanoparticle-assisted RT-PCR) assay targeting the ORF3 of PEDV was developed to distinguish PEDV field strains from attenuated strains by using a specific pair of primers. The PCR products of field strains and attenuated strains were 264 bp and 215 bp in length, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of this assay were also assessed. The nanoparticle-assisted RT-PCR assay was 10-100 times more sensitive than the conventional RT-PCR assay, with no cross-reactions when amplifying porcine pseudorabies virus (PRV), porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), classical swine fever virus (CSFV), porcine parvovirus (PPV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine rotavirus (RV), and porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV). The nanoparticle-assisted RT-PCR assay we describe here can be used to distinguish field strains from vaccine strains of PEDV, and it shows promise for reducing economic loss due to PEDV infection.

Epidemiology of Quadriceps Strains in National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletes, 2009–2010 Through 2014–2015

Science.gov (United States)

Eckard, Timothy G.; Kerr, Zachary Y.; Padua, Darin A.; Djoko, Aristarque; Dompier, Thomas P.

2017-01-01

Context:  Few researchers have examined the rates and patterns of quadriceps strains in student-athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Objective:  To describe the epidemiology of quadriceps strains in 25 NCAA sports during the 2009–2010 through 2014–2015 academic years. Design:  Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting:  Convenience sample of NCAA programs from 25 sports during the 2009–2010 through 2014–2015 academic years. Patients or Other Particpants:  Collegiate student-athletes participating in men's and women's NCAA athletics during the 2009–2010 through 2014–2015 academic years. Main Outcome Measure(s):  Aggregate quadriceps strain injury and exposure data from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program during the 2009–2010 through 2014–2015 academic years were analyzed. Quadriceps strain injury rates and injury rate ratios (IRRs) were reported with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results:  Overall, 517 quadriceps strains were reported, resulting in an injury rate of 1.07/10 000 athlete-exposures (AEs). The sports with the highest overall quadriceps strain rates were women's soccer (5.61/10 000 AEs), men's soccer (2.52/10 000 AEs), women's indoor track (2.24/10 000 AEs), and women's softball (2.15/10 000 AEs). Across sex-comparable sports, women had a higher rate of quadriceps strains than men overall (1.97 versus 0.65/10 000 AEs; IRR = 3.03; 95% CI = 2.45, 3.76). The majority of quadriceps strains were sustained during practice (77.8%). However, the quadriceps strain rate was higher during competition than during practice (1.29 versus 1.02/10 000 AEs; IRR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.03, 1.56). Most quadriceps strains occurred in the preseason (57.8%), and rates were higher during the preseason compared with the regular season (2.29 versus 0.63/10 000 AEs; IRR = 3.60; 95% CI = 3.02, 4.30). Common injury mechanisms were noncontact (63.2%) and overuse (21.9%). Most quadriceps strains restricted

Estimation of lattice strain in nanocrystalline RuO2 by Williamson-Hall and size-strain plot methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Sivakami, R; Dhanuskodi, S; Karvembu, R

2016-01-05

RuO2 nanoparticles (RuO2 NPs) have been successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method. Structure and the particle size have been determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). UV-Vis spectra reveal that the optical band gap of RuO2 nanoparticles is red shifted from 3.95 to 3.55eV. BET measurements show a high specific surface area (SSA) of 118-133m(2)/g and pore diameter (10-25nm) has been estimated by Barret-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) method. The crystallite size and lattice strain in the samples have been investigated by Williamson-Hall (W-H) analysis assuming uniform deformation, deformation stress and deformation energy density, and the size-strain plot method. All other relevant physical parameters including stress, strain and energy density have been calculated. The average crystallite size and the lattice strain evaluated from XRD measurements are in good agreement with the results of TEM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

POTENTIAL PRODUCTION OF CYCLOPIAZONIC ACID BY PENICILLIUM CAMEMBERTI STRAINS ISOLATED FROM CAMEMBERT TYPE CHEESE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslava Císarová

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to isolate the strains of fungi from Camembert type cheese, identify them and to test isolated strains of Penicillium camemberti for their ability to produce cyclopiazonic acid. The description of micro- and macromorphological features was used for identification of Penicillium camemberti strains. Strains were subsequently in vitro tested on their potential ability to produce mycotoxin cyclopiazonic acid (CPA. All of the 14 strains of Penicillium camemberti, which were obtained from 20 samples of Camembert type cheese, were cultivated 7, 14, 21, 27 and 30 days on CYA medium at 10±1°C, 15±1°C and 25±1°C in the dark. For determination of CPA production ability by P. camemberti isolates in vitro was TLC used. After 7 days of cultivation cyclopiazonic acid was produced only by 5 from 14 strains cultivated at all cultivation temperatures. After 14 and 21 days of cultivation was CPA produced by 6 strains at all of cultivation temperatures. After 27 and 30 days of cultivation was CPA identified in 7 strains cultivated at all temperatures of cultivation. The other strains also produced mycotoxin, however, not at each temperature. The most productive at all temperatures and after all days were 5 out of 14 tested strains (S9, S10, S13, S18 and S19. Strains S6 and S16 did not produce CPA at any temperature. The lowest production after all days of cultivation was found at 10±1 °C (44% and the highest at 25±1 °C (85%.

Strain-induced modulation of near-field radiative transfer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghanekar, Alok; Ricci, Matthew; Tian, Yanpei; Gregory, Otto; Zheng, Yi

2018-06-11

In this theoretical study, we present a near-field thermal modulator that exhibits change in radiative heat transfer when subjected to mechanical stress/strain. The device has two terminals at different temperatures separated by vacuum: one fixed and one stretchable. The stretchable side contains one-dimensional grating. When subjected to mechanical strain, the effective optical properties of the stretchable side are affected upon deformation of the grating. This results in modulation of surface waves across the interfaces influencing near-field radiative heat transfer. We show that for a separation of 100 nm, it is possible to achieve 25% change in radiative heat transfer for a strain of 10%.

Constant strain accumulation rate between major earthquakes on the North Anatolian Fault.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Ekbal; Wright, Tim J; Walters, Richard J; Bekaert, David P S; Lloyd, Ryan; Hooper, Andrew

2018-04-11

Earthquakes are caused by the release of tectonic strain accumulated between events. Recent advances in satellite geodesy mean we can now measure this interseismic strain accumulation with a high degree of accuracy. But it remains unclear how to interpret short-term geodetic observations, measured over decades, when estimating the seismic hazard of faults accumulating strain over centuries. Here, we show that strain accumulation rates calculated from geodetic measurements around a major transform fault are constant for its entire 250-year interseismic period, except in the ~10 years following an earthquake. The shear strain rate history requires a weak fault zone embedded within a strong lower crust with viscosity greater than ~10 20  Pa s. The results support the notion that short-term geodetic observations can directly contribute to long-term seismic hazard assessment and suggest that lower-crustal viscosities derived from postseismic studies are not representative of the lower crust at all spatial and temporal scales.

Linear Hyperfine Tuning of Donor Spins in Silicon Using Hydrostatic Strain

Science.gov (United States)

Mansir, J.; Conti, P.; Zeng, Z.; Pla, J. J.; Bertet, P.; Swift, M. W.; Van de Walle, C. G.; Thewalt, M. L. W.; Sklenard, B.; Niquet, Y. M.; Morton, J. J. L.

2018-04-01

We experimentally study the coupling of group V donor spins in silicon to mechanical strain, and measure strain-induced frequency shifts that are linear in strain, in contrast to the quadratic dependence predicted by the valley repopulation model (VRM), and therefore orders of magnitude greater than that predicted by the VRM for small strains |ɛ |hydrostatic component of strain and achieve semiquantitative agreement with the experimental values. Our results provide a framework for making quantitative predictions of donor spins in silicon nanostructures, such as those being used to develop silicon-based quantum processors and memories. The strong spin-strain coupling we measure (up to 150 GHz per strain, for Bi donors in Si) offers a method for donor spin tuning—shifting Bi donor electron spins by over a linewidth with a hydrostatic strain of order 10-6—as well as opportunities for coupling to mechanical resonators.

[Comparative analysis on the complete genome sequence of mumps epidemic strain and mumps vaccine strain S79 isolated in Zhejiang province, China between year 2005 and 2010].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Dong-Yan; Feng, Yan; Zhong, Shu-Ling; Lu, Yi-Yu; Zhuang, Fang-Cheng; Xu, Chang-Ping

2012-03-01

To compare the differences in the complete genome sequence between mumps epidemic strain and mumps vaccine strain S79 isolated in Zhejiang province. A total of 4 mumps epidemic strains, which were separated from Zhejiang province during 2005 to 2010, named as ZJ05-1, ZJ06-3, ZJ08-1 and ZJ10-1 were selected in the study. The complete genome sequences were amplified using RT-PCR. The genetic differences between vaccine strain S79 and other genotype strains were compared; while the genetic-distance was calculated and the evolution was analyzed. The biggest difference between the 4 epidemic strains and the vaccine strain S79 was found on the membrane associated protein gene; whose average nucleotide differential number was 42.5 +/- 3.0 and the average variant ratio was 13.6%; while the mean amino acid differential number was 12.8 +/- 1.5 and the average variant ratio was 22.4%. The smallest difference among the 4 epidemic strains and the vaccine strain was found in stromatin genes, whose average nucleotide differential number was 73.8 +/- 2.5 and the average variant ratio was 5.9%; while the mean amino acid differential number was 3.0 +/- 0.8 and the average variant ratio was 0.8%. The dn/ds value of the stromatin genes of the 4 epidemic strains reached the highest, as 0.6526; but without any positive pressure (dn/ds 0.05). There were mutations happened on the known antigen epitope, as 8th amino acid of membrane associated protein genes and on the 336th and 356th amino acid of hemagglutinin/neuraminidase proteins. Compared with the vaccine strain, the glycosylation sites of ZJ05-1, ZJ06-3, ZJ08-1 and ZJ10-1 increased 1, 1, 2 and 2 respectively. The complete amino acid sequence of all strains showed that there were 17 characteristic sites found on the genotype-F mumps strain. Within the complete genome, the genetic-distance between epidemic strains and vaccine strains in Zhejiang province (0.071) was significantly larger than the genetic-distance between strains in

Immobilization induced osteopenia is strain specific in mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lodberg, Andreas; Vegger, Jens Bay; Jensen, Michael Vinkel

2015-01-01

systemic effects on bone. Female mice from four inbred mouse strains (BALB/cJ, C57BL/6 J, DBA/2 J, and C3H/HeN) were injected unilaterally with BTX (n = 10/group) or unilaterally with saline (n = 10/group). Mice were euthanized after 21 days, and the bone properties evaluated using μCT, DXA, bone...... resolution μCT we found no evidence of a systemic effect on any of the microstructural parameters of the contralateral limb. Likewise, there was no evidence of a systemic effect on the bone strength in any mouse strain. We did, however, find a small systemic effect on aBMD in DBA/2 J and C3H/HeN mice...

The Microstructure Evolution of Dual-Phase Pipeline Steel with Plastic Deformation at Different Strain Rates

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, L. K.; Xu, T.; Zhang, J. M.; Wang, H. T.; Tong, M. X.; Zhu, R. H.; Zhou, G. S.

2017-07-01

Tensile properties of the high-deformability dual-phase ferrite-bainite X70 pipeline steel have been investigated at room temperature under the strain rates of 2.5 × 10-5, 1.25 × 10-4, 2.5 × 10-3, and 1.25 × 10-2 s-1. The microstructures at different amount of plastic deformation were examined by using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Generally, the ductility of typical body-centered cubic steels is reduced when its stain rate increases. However, we observed a different ductility dependence on strain rates in the dual-phase X70 pipeline steel. The uniform elongation (UEL%) and elongation to fracture (EL%) at the strain rate of 2.5 × 10-3 s-1 increase about 54 and 74%, respectively, compared to those at 2.5 × 10-5 s-1. The UEL% and EL% reach to their maximum at the strain rate of 2.5 × 10-3 s-1. This phenomenon was explained by the observed grain structures and dislocation configurations. Whether or not the ductility can be enhanced with increasing strain rates depends on the competition between the homogenization of plastic deformation among the microconstituents (ultra-fine ferrite grains, relatively coarse ferrite grains as well as bainite) and the progress of cracks formed as a consequence of localized inconsistent plastic deformation.

Probiotic attributes of autochthonous Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains of human origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Pithva, Sheetal; Shekh, Satyamitra; Dave, Jayantilal; Vyas, Bharatkumar Rajiv Manuel

2014-05-01

The study was aimed at evaluating the probiotic potential of indigenous autochthonous Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains isolated from infant feces and vaginal mucosa of healthy female. The survival of the selected strains and the two reference strains (L. rhamnosus GG and L. casei Actimel) was 67-81 % at pH 2 and 70-80 % after passage through the simulated gastrointestinal fluid. These strains are able to grow in the presence of 4 % bile salt, 10 % NaCl, and 0.6 % phenol. The cell surface of L. rhamnosus strains is hydrophilic in nature as revealed by bacterial adhesion to hydrocarbons (BATH) assay. Despite this, L. rhamnosus strains showed mucin adherence, autoaggregation and coaggregation properties that are strain-specific. In addition, they produce bile salt hydrolase (BSH) and β-galactosidase activities. L. rhamnosus strains exhibit antimicrobial activity against food spoilage organisms and gastrointestinal pathogens, as well as Candida and Aspergillus spp. L. rhamnosus strains have similar antibiotic susceptibility pattern, and resistance to certain antibiotics is intrinsic or innate. The strains are neither haemolytic nor producer of biogenic amines such as histamine, putrescine, cadaverine and tyramine. Lyophilized cells of L. rhamnosus Fb exhibited probiotic properties demonstrating potential of the strain for technological suitability and in the preparation of diverse probiotic food formulations.

Activation of the adenylyl cyclase/cyclic AMP/protein kinase A pathway in endothelial cells exposed to cyclic strain

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, C. R.; Mills, I.; Du, W.; Kamal, K.; Sumpio, B. E.

1997-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the involvement of the adenylyl cyclase/cyclic AMP/protein kinase A pathway (AC) in endothelial cells (EC) exposed to different levels of mechanical strain. Bovine aortic EC were seeded to confluence on flexible membrane-bottom wells. The membranes were deformed with either 150 mm Hg (average 10% strain) or 37.5 mm Hg (average 6% strain) vacuum at 60 cycles per minute (0.5 s strain; 0.5 s relaxation) for 0-60 min. The results demonstrate that at 10% average strain (but not 6% average strain) there was a 1.5- to 2.2-fold increase in AC, cAMP, and PKA activity by 15 min when compared to unstretched controls. Further studies revealed an increase in cAMP response element binding protein in EC subjected to the 10% average strain (but not 6% average strain). These data support the hypothesis that cyclic strain activates the AC/cAMP/PKA signal transduction pathway in EC which may occur by exceeding a strain threshold and suggest that cyclic strain may stimulate the expression of genes containing cAMP-responsive promoter elements.

Chitinase and cellulase activity from Bacillus thuringiensis strains - doi: 10.5102/ucs.v7i1.974

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinícius Fiúza Dumas

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed to analyze the production of chitinase and cellulase enzymes by strains of Bacillus thuringiensis toxic to Spodoptera frugiperda and Anthonomus grandis larvae. In order to evaluate the relationship between cellular growth and the chitinase and cellulase production, in vitro assays were carried through with bacteria cultures grown for 16h, 24h, 48h and 72h. Chitinase and cellulase activity was determined by a colorimetric method. The amount of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc or its equivalent was measured by development of color in acid medium. All strains presented enzymatic production after 16h of cellular growth until 72h. However, a Kruskal-Wallis test detected no significant differences among the chitinase and cellulase activity during the cellular growth. According to these results, was not possible to associate chitinase and cellulose activity with the different level of toxicity of Bt strains against S. frugiperda and A. grandis larvae.

From the Macro to the Micro: Gel Mapping to Differentiate between Sporozoites of Two Immunologically Distinct Strains of Eimeria maxima (Strains M6 and Guelph).

Science.gov (United States)

El-Ashram, Saeed; Yin, Qing; Liu, Hongbin; Al Nasr, Ibrahim; Liu, Xianyong; Suo, Xun; Barta, John

2015-01-01

Two immunologically distinct strains of E. maxima were examined in this study: the M6 strain and the Guelph strain. The differential expression between the sporozoites of the two strains of E. maxima was determined by image analysis of 100 μg of protein from each strain separated by standard one- and conventional two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In addition to differences in both molecular weight and the electrophoretic mobility, differences in the intensity of polypeptide bands for example, GS 136.4 and M6 169 were explored. Pooled gels were prepared from each strain. A representative 2D-PAGE gel spanning a non-linear pH range of 3-10 of E. maxima strain M6 consisted of approximately 694 polypeptide spots with about 67 (9.6%) of the polypeptide spots being unique relative to the other strain. E. maxima strain GS had about 696 discernable polypeptide spots with 69 spots (9.9%) that differed from those of the M6 strain. In-depth characterization of the variable polypeptide spots; unique polypeptide spots (absence or presence) and shared polypeptide spots with modifications may lead to novel vaccine target in the form of multi-component, multi-stage, multi-immunovariant strains, multi-species subunit vaccine, and diagnostic probe for E. maxima.

Screening and Evaluation of Polyhydroxybutyrate-Producing Strains from Indigenous Isolate Cupriavidus taiwanensis Strains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Om-Murugan Janarthanan

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA is a biodegradable material with many potential biomedical applications, including medical implants and drug delivery. This study developed a system for screening production strains in order to optimize PHA production in Cupriavidus taiwanensis 184, 185, 186, 187, 204, 208, 209 and Pseudomona oleovorans ATCC 29347. In this study, Sudan black B staining, Infrared (IR and Gas Chromatography (GC analysis indicated that the best strain for PHA synthesis is C. taiwanensis 184, which obtains polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB. Cultivation of C. taiwanensis 184 under a pH of 7.0, at 30 °C, and at an agitation rate of 200 rpm, obtained a PHB content of 10% and PHB production of 0.14 g/L. The carbon and nitrogen types selected for analysis of PHB production by C. taiwanensis 184 were gluconic acid and NH4Cl, respectively. Optimal carbon/nitrogen ratio for PHB production was also determined. This study demonstrated a PHB content of 58.81% and a PHB production of 2.44 g/L when the carbon/nitrogen ratio of 8/1 was selected for C. taiwanensis 184. A two‑stage fermentation strategy significantly enhanced PHB content and PHB production. Under a two-stage fermentation strategy with nutrient‑limited conditions, C. taiwanensis 184 obtained a PHB content of 72% and a PHB concentration of 7 g/L. Finally, experimental results confirmed that optimizing the growth medium and fermentation conditions for cultivating the indigenous C. taiwanensis 184 strain substantially elevated PHB content from 10% to 72% and PHB production from 0.14 g/L to 7 g/L, respectively.

Influence of dynamic strain aging on tensile deformation behavior of alloy 617

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ekaputra, I. M. W.; Kim, Woo Gon; Park, Jae Young; Kim, Seon Jin; Kim, Eung Seon

2016-01-01

To investigate the dynamic strain aging (DSA) behavior of Alloy 617, high-temperature tensile tests were carried out with strain rates variations of 10"-3"/s, 10"-"4/s, and 10"-"5/s from 24°C to 950°C. Five flow relationships, Hollomon, Ludwik, Swift, Ludwigson, and Voce, were applied to describe the tensile true stress–strain curves, and the DSA region was defined. In describing the tensile curves, Ludwigson's equation was superior to the other equations, and the DSA region was adequately defined by this equation as plateaus at intermediate temperatures from 200°C to 700°C. It was identified that Alloy 617 is dominated by three types of serrations, known as Types D, A+B, and C. The activation energy values for each serration type were obtained by the Arrhenius equation. By using the obtained activation energy values, the serrated yielding map and the DSA mechanism were drawn and manifested. In addition, the relationship between the tensile strength and strain rate at higher temperatures above 700°C was found to be closely related to the amounts of slip lines. In the scanning electron microscope (SEM) fractographs, there was a significant difference at the low, intermediate, and high temperatures, but almost the same to the three strain rates

Draft Genome Sequence of Agrococcusbaldri Strain Marseille-P2731.

Science.gov (United States)

Afouda, Pamela; Dubourg, Gregory; Labas, Noemie; Raoult, Didier; Fournier, Pierre-Edouard

2017-03-09

Agrococcus baldri strain Marseille-P2731 was isolated from a Siberian permafrost specimen dated around 10 million years. The 3,021,022-bp genome of strain Marseille-P2731, with a 71.82% G+C content, includes 2,844 protein-coding genes, 72 toxin/antitoxin modules, nine bacteriocin-encoding genes, and 1,266 genes associated with mobilome. Copyright © 2017 Afouda et al.

Anisotropic strain relaxation in (Ba0.6Sr0.4)TiO3 epitaxial thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, W. K.; Akdogan, E. K.; Safari, A.

2005-05-01

We have studied the evolution of anisotropic epitaxial strains in ⟨110⟩-oriented (Ba0.60Sr0.40)TiO3 paraelectric (m3m) thin films grown on orthorhombic (mm2) ⟨100⟩-oriented NdGaO3 by high-resolution x-ray diffractometry. All the six independent components of the three-dimensional strain tensor were measured in films with 25-1200-nm thickness, from which the principal stresses and strains were obtained. Pole figure analysis indicated that the epitaxial relations are [001]m3m‖[001]mm2 and [1¯10]m3m‖[010]mm2 in the plane of the film, and [110]m3m‖[100]mm2 along the growth direction. The dislocation system responsible for strain relief along [001] has been determined to be ∣b ∣(001)=3/4∣b∣. Strain relief along the [1¯10] direction, on the other hand, has been determined to be due to a coupled mechanism given by ∣b∣(1¯10)=∣b∣ and ∣b∣(1¯10)=√3 /4∣b∣. Critical thicknesses, as determined from nonlinear regression using the Matthews-Blakeslee equation, for misfit dislocation formation along [001] and [1¯10] direction were found to be 5 and 7 nm, respectively. The residual strain energy density was calculated as ˜2.9×106J/m3 at 25 nm, which was found to relax an order of magnitude by 200 nm. At 200 nm, the linear dislocation density along [001] and [1¯10] are ˜6.5×105 and ˜6×105cm-1, respectively. For films thicker than 600 nm, additional strain relief occurred through surface undulations, indicating that this secondary strain-relief mechanism is a volume effect that sets in upon cooling from the growth temperature.

Epidemiology of Hip Flexor and Hip Adductor Strains in National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletes, 2009/2010-2014/2015

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eckard, Timothy G; Padua, Darin A; Dompier, Thomas P

2017-01-01

restriction time were examined. Injury rate ratios (IRRs) and proportion ratios were calculated to compare rates within and between sports by event type, sex, mechanism, recurrence, and participation restriction time. RESULTS: A total of 770 hip flexor and 621 hip adductor strains were reported, resulting....../2010-2014/2015 academic years. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: Rates and patterns of hip flexor and adductor strains in collegiate sports were examined in a convenience sample of NCAA varsity teams from 25 sports. Rates and distributions of strains by mechanism, recurrence, and participation...... in overall injury rates of 1.60 and 1.29 per 10,000 athlete-exposures (AEs), respectively. In men, the rate of hip flexor strains was 1.81 per 10,000 AEs, and that for hip adductor strains was 1.71 per 10,000 AEs. In women, the rate of hip flexor strains was 1.59 per 10,000 AEs, and the rate of hip adductor...

A comparison of GPS strain rate and seismicity in mainland China

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, J.; Liu, M.

2011-12-01

The spatial distribution and moment release of earthquakes should correlate to crustal strain rates, assuming most of the crustal strain is released by earthquakes. However, the correlation between seismicity and crustal strain rates is not always clear, especially in continental interiors where large earthquakes are infrequent and earthquake records often incomplete. Here we compare seismicity and crustal strain rates in mainland China, where in the past decades the GPS measurements by the Crustal Motion Observation Network of China and other teams have determined the velocity at more than a thousand sites, allowing a meaningful calculation of the spatial distribution of the crustal strain rates. Our strain-rate map of mainland China is consistent with tectonic activities. The average scalar strain rate in West China is 17.5x10-16, contrasting to the much lower value (2.5x 10-16) in East China. The high strain rates are mainly found in the Tibetan Plateau, with the highest values clearly delineating the major active faults, including the Himalayan main boundary thrust, the Xianshuihe fault, the Longmanshan fault, the Haiyuan fault, and the southern Tianshan boundary fault. North China also has relatively high strain rates, but the high strain rates around the cities of Tangshan and Xingtai likely result from postseismic deformation following the 1966 Xingtai earthquake (M 7.2) and the 1976 Tangshan earthquake (M 7.8). We calculated the seismic moment release using the Chinese earthquake catalog that goes back to more than 2000 years. The spatial pattern of cumulative seismic moment release is generally comparable with that of the strain rates. Regions of major discrepancies include the Weihe-Shanxi grabens, which had numerous large earthquakes but have been quiescent in the past 300 years. When we use smaller time windows (200 or 500 years) to calculate the seismic moment release, we found strongly variable spatial patterns that is generally incomparable with the

Experimental Characterization of Stress- and Strain-Dependent Stiffness in Grouted Rock Masses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ji-Won; Chong, Song-Hun; Cho, Gye-Chun

2018-03-29

Grouting of fractured rock mass prior to excavation results in grout-filled discontinuities that govern the deformation characteristics of a site. The influence of joint characteristics on the properties of grouted rocks is important in assessing the effects of grouting on jointed rock mass. However, grouting remains a predominantly empirical practice and the effects of grouting on rock joint behavior and material properties have yet to be accurately assessed. Granular materials, including jointed rocks, typically display nonlinear strain-dependent responses that can be characterized by the shear modulus degradation curve. In this study, the effects of grouting on the strain-dependent shear stiffness of jointed rock mass were investigated at the small-strain (below 10 -5 ) and mid-strain (10 -5 to 10 -3 ) ranges using the quasi-static resonant column test and rock mass dynamic test devices. The effects of curing time, axial stress, initial joint roughness, and grouted joint thickness were examined. The results show that (1) grouting of rock joints leads to decreased stress sensitivity and increased small-strain shear stiffness for all tested samples; (2) the grouted rock samples display similar modulus degradation characteristics as the applied grout material; (3) the initial joint roughness determines the stress-dependent behaviors and general stiffness range of the jointed and grouted rocks, but the strain-dependent behaviors are dependent on the properties of the grout material; (4) increased grouted joint thickness results in larger contribution of the grout properties in the overall grouted rock mass.

Creep behaviour of the alloys NiCr22Co12Mo and 10CrMo9 10 under static and cyclic load conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolf, H.

1990-01-01

The creep behaviour of NiCr20Co12Mo is investigated under static strain and at 800deg C, with stresses applied ranging from 105 MPa to 370 MPa. The ferritic steel 10CrMo 9 10 is tested for its creep behaviour under static strain and at the temperatures of 600deg C and 550deg C, with stresses applied between 154 MPa and 326 MPa (at 600deg C), or between 250 MPa and 458 MPa (at 550deg C). The experiments are made to determine the effects of changes in strain on the materials' deformation behaviour, placing emphasis on transient creep and elastic or anelastic response. The mean internal stress is determined from changes in strain. Cyclic creep is analysed as a behaviour directly responding to the pattern of change in strain. Effects of certain strain changes not clarified so far are analysed. The cyclic strain experiments are analysed according to the velocity factor concept. The usual models of creep deformation (theta projection concept) are compared with the model of effective strain, which is based on the fundamental equation of plastic deformation by dislocation motion (Orowan equation). (MM) [de

A new strain of Claviceps purpurea accumulating tetracyclic clavine alkaloids.

Science.gov (United States)

Schumann, B; Erge, D; Maier, W; Gröger, D

1982-05-01

A new strain of Claviceps was isolated from a blokked mutant of Claviceps purpurea. This strain accumulates substantial amounts of clavine alkaloids (2 g/l). The alkaloid fraction is composed of chanoclavine-I ( approximately 10%) and a mixture of agroclavine/elymoclavine (90%). Most suitable for alkaloid production in submerged culture is an ammoncitrate/sucrose medium. The genealogy of the new strain, designated Pepty 695/ch-I is the following one: Pepty 695/S (ergotoxine producer) --> Pepty 695/ch (secoergoline producer) --> Pepty 695/ch-I (tetracyclic clavine producer).

Highly Sensitive Multifilament Fiber Strain Sensors with Ultrabroad Sensing Range for Textile Electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jaehong; Shin, Sera; Lee, Sanggeun; Song, Jaekang; Kang, Subin; Han, Heetak; Kim, SeulGee; Kim, Seunghoe; Seo, Jungmok; Kim, DaeEun; Lee, Taeyoon

2018-05-22

Highly stretchable fiber strain sensors are one of the most important components for various applications in wearable electronics, electronic textiles, and biomedical electronics. Herein, we present a facile approach for fabricating highly stretchable and sensitive fiber strain sensors by embedding Ag nanoparticles into a stretchable fiber with a multifilament structure. The multifilament structure and Ag-rich shells of the fiber strain sensor enable the sensor to simultaneously achieve both a high sensitivity and largely wide sensing range despite its simple fabrication process and components. The fiber strain sensor simultaneously exhibits ultrahigh gauge factors (∼9.3 × 10 5 and ∼659 in the first stretching and subsequent stretching, respectively), a very broad strain-sensing range (450 and 200% for the first and subsequent stretching, respectively), and high durability for more than 10 000 stretching cycles. The fiber strain sensors can also be readily integrated into a glove to control a hand robot and effectively applied to monitor the large volume expansion of a balloon and a pig bladder for an artificial bladder system, thereby demonstrating the potential of the fiber strain sensors as candidates for electronic textiles, wearable electronics, and biomedical engineering.

Immunomagnetic separation combined with colony immunoblotting for selective enrichment and detection of piliated Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Z Q; Wei, Y F; Rao, S Q; Gao, L; Yin, Y Q; Xue, F; Fang, W M; Gu, R X; Jiao, X A

2016-11-01

Piliated Lactobacillus rhamnosus (pLR) strains have attracted much attention owing to their excellent mucus adhering capacity and immunomodulatory effects. Here, we aimed to develop a rapid, sensitive method for isolating pLR strains in complex ecosystems using immunomagnetic separation (IMS) with colony immunoblotting (CIB). Magnetic nanobeads (diameter: 180 nm) conjugated with anti-pLR SpaA pilin antibodies (anti-SpaA) were prepared and used to preconcentrate pLR strains in samples, followed by confirmation with anti-SpaA-based CIB analysis. Under optimized experimental conditions, IMS-CIB selectively recovered pLR strains from 10 7  CFU ml -1 of faecal microbiota samples spiked with 2·9 × 10 1 to 2·4 × 10 6  CFU ml -1 of pLR strains. No positive colonies were detected in samples without addition of pLR strains. The detection limit of IMS-CIB was 29 CFU pLR ml -1 of faecal microbiota, which is much lower than that of CIB without IMS preconcentration (2·0 × 10 4  CFU ml -1 ). IMS-CIB allowed selective preconcentration of pLR strains in highly heterogeneous bacterial suspensions and direct detection of pLR colonies, which remained readily available for subsequent isolation. Our findings established an effective method for selective enrichment and detection of pLR strains. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Macrophage activation and histopathological findings in Calomys callosus and Swiss mice infected with several strains of Trypanosoma cruzi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monamaris Marques Borges

1992-12-01

Full Text Available Peritoneal macrophage activation as measured by H2O2 release and histopathology was compared between Swiss mice and Calomys callosus, a wild rodent, reservoir of Trypanosoma cruzi, during the course of infection with four strains of this parasite. In mice F and Y strain infections result in high parasitemia and mortality while with silvatic strains Costalimai and M226 parasitemia is sub-patent, with very low mortality. H2O2 release peaked at 33,6 and 59 nM/2 x 10(elevado a sexta potência cells for strains Y and F, respectively, 48 and 50 nM/2 x 10 (elevado a sexta potência for strains Costalimai and M226, at different days after infection. Histopathological findings of myositis, myocarditis, necrotizing artheritis and abscence of macrophage parasitism were foud for strains F and Costalimai. Y strain infection presented moderate myocarditis and myositis, with parasites multiplying within macrophages. In C. callosus all four strains resulted in patent parasitemia wich was eventually overcome, with scarce mortality. H2O2 release for strains Y or F was comparable to that of mice-peaks of 27 and 53 nM/2 x 10 (elevado a sexta potência cells, with lower values for strains Costalimai and M226 - 16.5 and 4.6 nM/2 x 10(elevado a sexta potênciacells, respectively. Histopathological lesions with Y and F strain injected animals were comparable to those of mice at the onset of infections; they subsided completely at the later stages with Y strain and partially with F strain infected C. callosus. In Costalimai infected C. callosus practically no histopathological alterations were observed.

Cellulose hydrolysis by fungi. 1. Screening of cellulolytic strains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roussos, S.; Raimbault, M. (Laboratoire de Microbiologie ORSTOM, Centre de Recherche IRCHA, 91 - Vert-le-Petit (France))

Trichoderma harzianum was selected from 30 strains of cellulolytic fungi with the aim of producing cellulases by solid state fermentation of lignocellulosic substrates. Special attention was paid to cellulase production (i. e. carboxymethylcellulase and filter paper activity), apical growth and conidia production. Under the conditions of our experiments, T. harzianum exhibited the highest cellulasic activities with 1,315 IU/I of carboxymethyl cellulose and 80 IU/l of filter paper activity. Apical growth (1 mm/h) and yield of conidial production (3.25 X 10/sup 10/ conidia/g of substrate dry weight) were also valuable characteristics of this strain in the use of solid state fermentation.

Some contributions to the high strain rate deformation of solids and the thermally activated deformation of wood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferguson, W George

2009-01-01

The behaviour of metals as a function of rate of loading, strain rate, and temperature is discussed in terms of previous work by the author. Strain rates range from 10 -3 s -1 , obtained in a standard tensile testing machine, to 10 2 s -1 obtained in a hydraulic piston driven machine and up to 10 4 s -1 , very high strain rates with a Kolsky split Hopkinson bar using shear type loading. At rates less 10 3 s -1 the strength is a function of strain rate and temperature, is thermally activated and governed by the stress-assisted thermal activation of dislocations across short-range barriers in the crystal. At very high strain rates however the behaviour is controlled by interaction of dislocations with either phonons or electrons, giving a strength proportional to strain rate. The compressive strength of small clear samples of wood, Pinus radiata and Kahikatea, determined over the strain rate range 10 -3 s -1 to 10 3 s -1 as a function of strain rate, temperature and moisture content shows the behaviour to again be thermally activated with the strength a function of stain rate, temperature and moisture content. A rate theory of deformation is developed where the yield behaviour of wood is assumed to result from the stress-assisted thermally activated motion of elementary fibrils over short-range barriers. The moisture is assumed to affect the bond energy between elementary fibrils and the barrier energy is taken to be a linear decreasing function of increasing moisture content and the moisture to act like a plasticiser in separating the elementary fibrils. The theory more than adequately explains the observed behaviour.

Quantification of Pseudomonas fluorescens strains F113, CHA0 and Pf153 in the rhizosphere of maize by strain-specific real-time PCR unaffected by the variability of DNA extraction efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Von Felten, Andreas; Défago, Geneviève; Maurhofer, Monika

2010-05-01

Pseudomonas fluorescens strains F113 and CHA0 are well-known plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) often used as model strains in biocontrol experiments. To monitor their persistence in large scale field experiments, culture-independent methods are needed. In this study, a strain-specific real-time PCR quantification tool was developed based on sequence-characterized amplified regions (SCAR) for P. fluorescens strains F113, CHA0 and Pf153. Differences in DNA extraction efficiencies from rhizosphere samples were circumvented using plasmid APA9 as internal standard to normalize C(T) values after real-time amplification. The detection limits of the real-time PCR assays for all three strains were approximately 10 cells for genomic DNA and 10(4)cells/g rhizosphere for maize samples grown in different natural soils. Population sizes of the three strains in the rhizosphere of maize measured by the new real-time PCR approaches were similar to those measured by most probable number (MPN)-PCR. A persistence study of the three strains indicated that the strains persisted differently over a period of 5weeks. In conclusion the newly developed real-time PCR approach is a fast and resource efficient method for monitoring individual biocontrol strains in natural soil, which makes it an apt quantification tool for future large-scale field experiments. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Trypanosoma cruzi strain on the pathogenesis of chronic myocardiopathy in mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia G. Andrade

1990-03-01

Full Text Available The murine model of chronic Chaga's myocardiopathy was developed in 201 inbred and outbred mice. The experimental groups consisted of 1st: 73 inbred AKR and A/J mice inoculated with one of the following. Trypanosoma cruzi strains: Peruvian (Type I, 12 SF (Type II or Colombian (Type III; 2nd: 128 outbred Swiss mice, chronically infected either with Type II or Type III strains isolated from human patients from different geographical areas. All T. cruzi strains were previoulsly characterized by their morphobiological behaviour in mice and by isoenzymatic patterns. For the 1st group the inoculum was 5 x 10**4 for the Peruvian strain and 1 x 10**5 for the 12 SF and Colombian strains. In the 2nd group-Swiss mice the inoculum size varied from 2 x 10**4 to 2 x 10**5. The inbred animals were killed at a 3 time-point scale (90, 180 and 240 days post-infection. The Swiss mice were killed from 180 to 660 days after infection. The evaluation of parasitemia and serology (xeodiagnosis and indirect immunofluorescent test was performed. The incidence of macroscopic alterations of the heart and cardiac index were evaluated. Histopathological lesions of the myocardium were graded. The influence of T. cruzi strain on the intensity of cardiac lesions was evaluated by the Chi-square test; the incidence of inflammatory lesions and its relationship to the parasite strain was evaluated by the Fisher test. The influence of the duration of infection was evaluated by using the Gamma Coefficient of Kruskal and Goodman and its measure of significance. Slight to severe microscopic alterations occurred in 85% of the chronically infected nice. There were a clear predominance on the incidence and intensity of inflammatory and fibrotic alterations for the mice infected with Type III strains. Statistical analysis has shown significant differences among the infected groups, in the inflammatory and fibrotic lesions. Macroscopic alterations (right cavities dilatation and apex

The interaction of H2O with strained uranium metal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiferet, E.; Mintz, M. H.; Zalkind, S.; Jacob, I.; Shamir, N.

2014-01-01

The interaction of water vapor was studied on uranium metal surfaces, with various degrees of strain (relieved by different degrees of heating). The main features of dissociation, adsorption and initial oxidation for the studied surfaces will be presented. Common to all strained surfaces, on the metal surface a full dissociation occurs, while after oxidation only on most of them the water dissociation is full and on one of them, it is only partial. The oxygen dissociation product adsorbs (with sticking coefficient decreasing with strain relief), forming clusters, for all strains, while the hydrogen product clusters only on the strain relieved and recrystallized surface. The most interesting phenomenon, revealed for these surfaces, is the inhibition of hydrogen adsorption by traces of water vapor , changing from 10% for the mostly strained (defected) surface down to 1% for the strain relieved one. The suggested mechanism for this inhibition will be discussed

Characterization of oriented cracks with differential strain analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siegfried, R.; Simmons, G.

1978-01-01

Linear strain of a rock sample as a function of hydrostatic pressure can be measured with a precision of 2 x 10 -6 . Such high-precision data for three orthogonal directions allow calculation of the distribution function for the porosity due to cracks closing completely at a given pressure. Such data for at least six independent directions yield the zero-pressure strain tensor due to cracks closing completely at a given pressure. The principal values and axes of this tensor distribution function provide information about the orientation of cracks as a function of closure pressure. In this manuscript we first develop the mathematical basis for the technique and then illustrate it with differential strain data for two samples, the Westerly (Rhode Island) granite and the Twin Sisters (Washington) dunite. Strain tensor calculations reveal that each of these samples has a different type of anisotropic crack distribution

Changes in job strain and subsequent weight gain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vesterlund, Gitte Kingo; Keller, Amélie Cléo; Heitmann, Berit Lilienthal

2018-01-01

in 1999 between those who were rarely v. sometimes v. often busy in 1993 (P=0·03), with the largest weight gain in individuals with sustained high busyness in both years. Loss of influence between 1993 and 1999 was associated with larger subsequent weight gain than sustained high influence (P=0......Objective: Obesity as well as job strain is increasing, and job strain might contribute to weight gain. The objective of the current study was to examine associations between longitudinal alterations in the components of job strain and subsequent weight gain. Design: The study was designed...... as a prospective cohort study with three questionnaire surveys enabling measurement of job-strain alterations over 6 years and subsequent measurements of weight gain after further 10 years of follow-up. ANCOVA and trend analyses were conducted. Job demands were measured as job busyness and speed, and control...

Prognostic value of strain and strain rate in the prediction of postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: a systematic literature review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leila Bigdelu

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF is a common dysrhythmia postoperatively after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG. Myocardial strain and strain-rate imaging is used for the assessment of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF as a new echocardiographic method. Methods: PubMed and Scopus were searched thoroughly using the following search terms: (strain and strain rate AND (atrial fibrillation OR AF on March 2015 to find English articles in which the strain and strain-rate echocardiographic imaging had been used for the evaluation of AF in patients undergone CABG. Full text of the relevant papers was fully reviewed for data extraction.Result: Of overall 6 articles found in PubMed, 10 records found in Scopus and 4 articles found through reference list search, only 6 papers fully met the inclusion criteria for further assessment and data extraction. The results of strain and strain-rate assessment showed that in total of 542 patients undergoing CABG, POAF occurred in 106 patients. Studies showed that the reduction of left atrial (LA strain rate is correlated with AF. Consistently, the results of present review showed that LA strain and strain-rate in patients who developed AF postoperatively after CABG are significantly reduced, suggesting that strain and strain-rate could be a predictor of POAF.Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, strain and strain-rate is a suitable and accurate echocardiographic technique in the assessment of left atrial function , and it might be helpful to detect the patients who are at high risk of POAF.

Theoretical and experimental study of high strain, high strain rate materials viscoplastic behaviour. Application to Mars 190 steel and tantalum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juanicotena, A.

1998-01-01

This work enters in the general framework of the study and modelling of metallic materials viscoplastic behaviour in the area of high strain and high strain rate, from 10 4 to 10 5 s -1 . We define a methodology allowing to describe the behaviour of armor steel Mars 190 and tantalum in the initial area. In a first time, the study of visco-plasticity physical mechanisms shows the necessity to take into account some fundamental processes of the plastic deformation. Then, the examination of various constitutive relations allows to select the Preston-Tonks-Wallace model, that notably reproduce the physical phenomenon of the flow stress saturation. In a second part, a mechanical characterization integrating loading direction, strain rate and temperature effects is conducted on the two materials. Moreover, these experimental results allow to calculate associated constants to Preston-Tonks-Wallace, Zerilli-Armstrong and Johnson-Cook models for each material. In a third time, in order to evaluate and to validate these constitutive laws, we conceive and develop an experimental device open to reach the area of study: the expanding spherical shell test. It concerns to impose a free radial expanding to a thin spherical shell by means a shock wave generated by an explosive. By the radial expanding velocity measure, we can determine stress, strain rate and strain applied on the spherical shell at each time. In a four and last part, we evaluate constitutive models out of their optimization area's. This validation is undertaken by comparisons 'experimental results/calculations' with the help of global experiences like expanding spherical shell test and Taylor test. (author)

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray study of a family 10 alkali-thermostable xylanase from alkalophilic Bacillus sp. strain NG-27

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manikandan, K. [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 (India); Bhardwaj, Amit [International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110 067 (India); Ghosh, Amit [Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39-A, Chandigarh 160 036 (India); Reddy, V. S. [International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110 067 (India); Ramakumar, S., E-mail: ramak@physics.iisc.ernet.in [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 (India); Bioinformatics Centre, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 (India)

2005-08-01

A family 10 alkali-thermostable xylanase from Bacillus sp. NG-27 has been crystallized. A diffraction data set has been collected to 2.2 Å resolution. Xylanases (EC 3.2.1.8) catalyze the hydrolysis of β-1,4-glycosidic linkages within xylan, a major hemicellulose component in the biosphere. The extracellular endoxylanase (XylnA) from the alkalophilic Bacillus sp. strain NG-27 belongs to family 10 of the glycoside hydrolases. It is active at 343 K and pH 8.4. Moreover, it has attractive features from the point of view of utilization in the paper pulp, animal feed and baking industries since it is an alkali-thermostable protein. In this study, XylnA was purified from the native host source and crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals belong to the monoclinic space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 174.5, b = 54.7, c = 131.5 Å, β = 131.2°, and diffract to better than 2.2 Å resolution.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray study of a family 10 alkali-thermostable xylanase from alkalophilic Bacillus sp. strain NG-27

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manikandan, K.; Bhardwaj, Amit; Ghosh, Amit; Reddy, V. S.; Ramakumar, S.

2005-01-01

A family 10 alkali-thermostable xylanase from Bacillus sp. NG-27 has been crystallized. A diffraction data set has been collected to 2.2 Å resolution. Xylanases (EC 3.2.1.8) catalyze the hydrolysis of β-1,4-glycosidic linkages within xylan, a major hemicellulose component in the biosphere. The extracellular endoxylanase (XylnA) from the alkalophilic Bacillus sp. strain NG-27 belongs to family 10 of the glycoside hydrolases. It is active at 343 K and pH 8.4. Moreover, it has attractive features from the point of view of utilization in the paper pulp, animal feed and baking industries since it is an alkali-thermostable protein. In this study, XylnA was purified from the native host source and crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals belong to the monoclinic space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 174.5, b = 54.7, c = 131.5 Å, β = 131.2°, and diffract to better than 2.2 Å resolution

Job strain and the risk of severe asthma exacerbations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heikkilä, K; Madsen, I E H; Nyberg, S T

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Many patients and healthcare professionals believe that work-related psychosocial stress, such as job strain, can make asthma worse, but this is not corroborated by empirical evidence. We investigated the associations between job strain and the incidence of severe asthma exacerbations...... in working-age European men and women. METHODS: We analysed individual-level data, collected between 1985 and 2010, from 102 175 working-age men and women in 11 prospective European studies. Job strain (a combination of high demands and low control at work) was self-reported at baseline. Incident severe...... asthma exacerbations were ascertained from national hospitalization and death registries. Associations between job strain and asthma exacerbations were modelled using Cox regression and the study-specific findings combined using random-effects meta-analyses. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 10 years...

The screening of bacillus subtilis strain with high-produced antimicrobial substance using N+ ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Juan; Bie Xiaomei; Lu Zhaoxin; Lu Fengxia; Zhu Xiaoyu

2006-01-01

N + ion implantation was used to obtain higher-yield antimicrobial substance. Bacillus subtilis fmbJ was mutated by 25 keV N + ion implantation with the dose of 50 x 2.6 x 10 13 , 80 x 2.6 x 10 13 , 100 x 2.6 x 10 13 , 120 x 2.6 x 10 13 and 150 x 2.6 x 10 13 N + /m 2 . Results showed that the optimal N + ion dose was 50 x 2.6 x 10 13 N + /m 2 , and a strain of high-yield antimicrobials was obtained and named as Bacillus subtilis fmbJ224. Its antimicrobial substance yield was increased by 96% than the initial. The fermentation characteristic of the strain was studied, and the mode of producing antimicrobial substance for the selected strain was arrearage synthesis type. (authors)

Competitive Dominance by a Bacteriocin-Producing Vibrio harveyi Strain.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoyt, P R; Sizemore, R K

1982-09-01

Vibrio (Beneckea) harveyi, a bioluminescent marine bacterium, has been shown to produce a bacteriocin-like substance the production of which is mediated by a plasmid. This substance is assumed to be proteinaceous because of its sensitivity to certain proteolytic enzymes. It is stable at low temperatures and can be concentrated by ammonium sulfate precipitation or negative-pressure dialysis. The molecular weight of the bacteriocin was determined to be 2.4 x 10 by molecular exclusion chromatography. Competition experiments indicated that bacteriocin-producing strains predominated over cured variants of the same strain in broth culture experiments. We studied several environmental parameters (pH, salinity, temperature, nutrient concentration) to determine their effects on the competitive advantage bestowed on a bacteriocin-producing strain. Under simulated free-living conditions, no competitive advantage attributable to bacteriocin production was observed. In a simulated enteric habitat, a bacteriocin-producing strain showed dramatic (>90%) inhibition of the sensitive strain within 24 h.

Passive wireless strain measurement based upon the Villari effect and giant magnetoresistance

Science.gov (United States)

Windl, Roman; Bruckner, Florian; Abert, Claas; Huber, Christian; Vogler, Christoph; Huber, Thomas; Oezelt, Harald; Suess, Dieter

2016-12-01

A passive wireless radio frequency-identification (RFID) stress/strain sensor is presented. Stress is transformed into a change of magnetic field by utilizing an amorphous metal ribbon. This magnetic field change is measured by a giant magnetoresistance magnetic field sensor and converted into a digital value with a RFID chip for wireless access. Standard metal foil strain gauges have a gauge factor GF from around 2 to 5 and suffer from the disadvantage of a physically connected power supply and measurement equipment. For the presented sensor, a strain range of -10 μm/m to 190 μm/m results in a linear sensor response, a gauge factor of GF ≈ 245, and a detectivity of 4.10 nm/m 1/√{Hz } . The detectivity of the presented sensor is similar to the detectivity of a reference metal foil strain gauge. Due to low power consumption and easy signal analysis, this sensor is well suited for long term strain measurement inside closed spaces. RFID adds features like multiple tag detection, wireless passive operation and a user data storage.

Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar: an experimental technique for high strain rate tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, S.; Chavan, V.M.; Agrawal, R.G.; Patel, R.J.; Kapoor, R.; Chakravartty, J.K.

2011-06-01

Mechanical properties of materials are, in general, strain rate dependent, i.e. they respond differently at quasi-static and higher strain rate condition. The Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB), also referred to as Kolsky bar is a commonly used setup for high strain rate testing. SHPB is suitable for high strain rate test in strain rate range of 10 2 to 10 4 s -1 . These high strain rate data are required for safety and structural integrity assessment of structures subjected to dynamic loading. As high strain rate data are not easily available in open literature need was felt for setting up such high strain rate testing machine. SHPB at BARC was designed and set-up inhouse jointly by Refuelling Technology Division and Mechanical Metallurgy Division, at Hall no. 3, BARC. A number of conceptual designs for SHPB were thought of and the optimized design was worked out. The challenges of precision tolerance, straightness in bars and design and proper functioning of pneumatic gun were met. This setup has been used extensively to study the high strain rate material behavior. This report introduces the SHPB in general and the setup at BARC in particular. The history of development of SHPB, the basic formulations of one dimensional wave propagation, the relations between the wave velocity, particle velocity and elastic strain in a one dimensional bar, and the equations used to obtain the final stress vs. strain curves are described. The calibration of the present setup, the pre-test calculations and the posttest analysis of data are described. Finally some of the experimental results on different materials such as Cu, SS305, SA516 and Zr, at room temperature and elevated temperatures are presented. (author)

A strain gauge

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2016-01-01

The invention relates to a strain gauge of a carrier layer and a meandering measurement grid positioned on the carrier layer, wherein the strain gauge comprises two reinforcement members positioned on the carrier layer at opposite ends of the measurement grid in the axial direction....... The reinforcement members are each placed within a certain axial distance to the measurement grid with the axial distance being equal to or smaller than a factor times the grid spacing. The invention further relates to a multi-axial strain gauge such as a bi-axial strain gauge or a strain gauge rosette where each...... of the strain gauges comprises reinforcement members. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a strain gauge as mentioned above....

Development of intra-strain self-cloning procedure for breeding baker's yeast strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakagawa, Youji; Ogihara, Hiroyuki; Mochizuki, Chisato; Yamamura, Hideki; Iimura, Yuzuru; Hayakawa, Masayuki

2017-03-01

Previously reported self-cloning procedures for breeding of industrial yeast strains require DNA from other strains, plasmid DNA, or mutagenesis. Therefore, we aimed to construct a self-cloning baker's yeast strain that exhibits freeze tolerance via an improved self-cloning procedure. We first disrupted the URA3 gene of a prototrophic baker's yeast strain without the use of any marker gene, resulting in a Δura3 homozygous disruptant. Then, the URA3 gene of the parental baker's yeast strain was used as a selection marker to introduce the constitutive TDH3 promoter upstream of the PDE2 gene encoding high-affinity cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase. This self-cloning procedure was performed without using DNA from other Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, plasmid DNA, or mutagenesis and was therefore designated an intra-strain self-cloning procedure. Using this self-cloning procedure, we succeeded in producing self-cloning baker's yeast strains that harbor the TDH3p-PDE2 gene heterozygously and homozygously, designated TDH3p-PDE2 hetero and TDH3p-PDE2 homo strains, respectively. These self-cloning strains expressed much higher levels of PDE2 mRNA than the parental strain and exhibited higher viability after freeze stress, as well as higher fermentation ability in frozen dough, when compared with the parental strain. The TDH3p-PDE2 homo strain was genetically more stable than the TDH3p-PDE2 hetero strain. These results indicate that both heterozygous and homozygous strains of self-cloning PDE2-overexpressing freeze-tolerant strains of industrial baker's yeast can be prepared using the intra-strain self-cloning procedure, and, from a practical viewpoint, the TDH3p-PDE2 homo strain constructed in this study is preferable to the TDH3p-PDE2 hetero strain for frozen dough baking. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of antibody and cytokine responses to primary Giardia muris infection in H-2 congenic strains of mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Venkatesan, P; Finch, R G; Wakelin, D

1996-11-01

The course of primary infections with Giardia muris differs between BALB and B10 H-2 congenic strains of mice. In the first 3 weeks of infection, there is a more rapid decline in intestinal trophozoite and fecal cyst counts in B10 strains than in BALB strains. To determine whether this difference could be explained by variation in specific antibody responses, both secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) and serum antibody responses were compared between these strains. No significant differences in the timing, titer, or specificity of secretory or serum antibodies were found. However, on comparing specific anti-G. muris serum IgG subclass responses, we found that B10 strains produced IgG2a while BALB strains produced IgG1, suggesting differential involvement of T helper 1 and 2 subsets of lymphocytes. When cells harvested from mesenteric lymph nodes were stimulated with concanavalin A in vitro, both gamma interferon and interleukin-5 were secreted by cells from B10 mice, but only interleukin-5 was secreted by cells from BALB/c mice. Specific blockade of gamma interferon by monoclonal antibody administered to B10 mice resulted in an enhanced intensity of infection.

Brittle superconducting magnets: an equivilent strain model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barzi, E.; Danuso, M.

2010-01-01

To exceed fields of 10 T in accelerator magnets, brittle superconductors like A15 Nb 3 Sn and Nb 3 Al or ceramic High Temperature Superconductors have to be used. For such brittle superconductors it is not their maximum tensile yield stress that limits their structural resistance as much as strain values that provoke deformations in their delicate lattice, which in turn affect their superconducting properties. Work on the sensitivity of Nb 3 Sn cables to strain has been conducted in a number of stress states, including uniaxial and multi-axial, producing usually different results. This has made the need of a constituent design criterion imperative for magnet builders. In conventional structural problems an equivalent stress model is typically used to verify mechanical soundness. In the superconducting community a simple scalar equivalent strain to be used in place of an equivalent stress would be an extremely useful tool. As is well known in fundamental mechanics, there is not one single way to reduce a multiaxial strain state as represented by a 2nd order tensor to a scalar. The conceptual experiment proposed here will help determine the best scalar representation to use in the identification of an equivalent strain model.

The effect of five probiotic lactobacilli strains on the growth and biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, X; Chen, X; Chen, Y; Jiang, W; Chen, H

2015-01-01

To compare the effects of five probiotic lactobacilli strains on the growth and biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans (MS). Five probiotic lactobacilli bacteria (LB), Lactobacillus casei Shirota, Lactobacillus casei LC01, Lactobacillus plantarum ST-III, Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, were used as test strains effecting on the Streptococci strain S. mutans UA159 in this study. The effect of LB strains and their supernatants on the viability of the MS was evaluated. Then, the effect of LB strains on the growth of MS biofilm formation was observed by fluorescence microscope. All of the LB strains inhibited the growth of MS at concentrations of 1 × 10(8) and 3 × 10(8) CFU ml(-1) (P strains inhibited the growth of MS (P strains inhibited the growth and biofilm formation of MS, likely through the production of an acid environment, bacteriocin-like poly peptides, or both, and the effects on MS were dependent on the LB strains used. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Microtwin formation in the α phase of duplex titanium alloys affected by strain rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Yi-Hsiang; Wu, Shu-Ming; Kao, Fang-Hsin; Wang, Shing-Hoa; Yang, Jer-Ren; Yang, Chia-Chih; Chiou, Chuan-Sheng

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → The long and dense twins in α phase of SP700 alloy occurring at lower strain rates promote a good ductility. → The deformation in SP700 alloy changed to micro twins-controlled mechanism in α as the strain rate decreases. → The material has time to redistribute the deformed strain between α and β as the strain rate decreases. - Abstract: The effect of tensile strain rate on deformation microstructure was investigated in Ti-6-4 (Ti-6Al-4V) and SP700 (Ti-4.5Al-3V-2Mo-2Fe) of the duplex titanium alloys. Below a strain rate of 10 -2 s -1 , Ti-6-4 alloy had a higher ultimate tensile strength than SP700 alloy. However, the yield strength of SP700 was consistently greater than Ti-6-4 at different strain rates. The ductility of SP700 alloy associated with twin formation (especially at the slow strain rate of 10 -4 s -1 ), always exceeded that of Ti-6-4 alloy at different strain rates. It is caused by a large quantity of deformation twins took place in the α phase of SP700 due to the lower stacking fault energy by the β stabilizer of molybdenum alloying. In addition, the local deformation more was imposed on the α grains from the surrounding β-rich grains by redistributing strain as the strain rate decreased in SP700 duplex alloy.

The effect of hamstring flexibility on peak hamstring muscle strain in sprinting

OpenAIRE

Xianglin Wan; Feng Qu; William E. Garrett; Hui Liu; Bing Yu

2017-01-01

Background: The effect of hamstring flexibility on the peak hamstring muscle strains in sprinting, until now, remained unknown, which limited our understanding of risk factors of hamstring muscle strain injury (hamstring injury). As a continuation of our previous study, this study was aimed to examine the relationship between hamstring flexibility and peak hamstring muscle strains in sprinting. Methods: Ten male and 10 female college students participated in this study. Hamstring flexibili...

Prophagic DNA Fragments in Streptococcus agalactiae Strains and Association with Neonatal Meningitis

Science.gov (United States)

van der Mee-Marquet, Nathalie; Domelier, Anne-Sophie; Mereghetti, Laurent; Lanotte, Philippe; Rosenau, Agnès; van Leeuwen, Willem; Quentin, Roland

2006-01-01

We identified—by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis at the population level followed by DNA differential display, cloning, and sequencing—three prophage DNA fragments (F5, F7, and F10) in Streptococcus agalactiae that displayed significant sequence similarity to the DNA of S. agalactiae and Streptococcus pyogenes. The F5 sequence aligned with a prophagic gene encoding the large subunit of a terminase, F7 aligned with a phage-associated cell wall hydrolase and a phage-associated lysin, and F10 aligned with a transcriptional regulator (ArpU family) and a phage-associated endonuclease. We first determined the prevalence of F5, F7, and F10 by PCR in a collection of 109 strains isolated in the 1980s and divided into two populations: one with a high risk of causing meningitis (HR group) and the other with a lower risk of causing meningitis (LR group). These fragments were significantly more prevalent in the HR group than in the LR group (P S. agalactiae strains to invade the neonatal brain endothelium. We then determined the prevalence of F5, F7, and F10 by PCR in a collection of 40 strains recently isolated from neonatal meningitis cases for comparison with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) strains isolated in the 1980s. The prevalence of the three prophage DNA fragments was similar in these two populations isolated 15 years apart. We suggest that the prophage DNA fragments identified have remained stable in many CSF S. agalactiae strains, possibly due to their importance in virulence or fitness. PMID:16517893

International Clostridium difficile animal strain collection and large diversity of animal associated strains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Janezic, Sandra; Zidaric, Valerija; Pardon, Bart

2014-01-01

Background: Clostridium difficile is an important cause of intestinal infections in some animal species and animals might be a reservoir for community associated human infections. Here we describe a collection of animal associated C. difficile strains from 12 countries based on inclusion criteria...... of one strain (PCR ribotype) per animal species per laboratory. Results: Altogether 112 isolates were collected and distributed into 38 PCR ribotypes with agarose based approach and 50 PCR ribotypes with sequencer based approach. Four PCR ribotypes were most prevalent in terms of number of isolates...... as well as in terms of number of different host species: 078 (14.3% of isolates; 4 hosts), 014/020 (11.6%; 8 hosts); 002 (5.4%; 4 hosts) and 012 (5.4%; 5 hosts). Two animal hosts were best represented; cattle with 31 isolates (20 PCR ribotypes; 7 countries) and pigs with 31 isolates (16 PCR ribotypes; 10...

Influence of dynamic strain aging on tensile deformation behavior of alloy 617

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ekaputra, I. M. W. [Pukyong National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Woo Gon; Park, Jae Young; Kim, Seon Jin; Kim, Eung Seon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-15

To investigate the dynamic strain aging (DSA) behavior of Alloy 617, high-temperature tensile tests were carried out with strain rates variations of 10{sup -}3{sup /}s, 10{sup -4}/s, and 10{sup -5}/s from 24°C to 950°C. Five flow relationships, Hollomon, Ludwik, Swift, Ludwigson, and Voce, were applied to describe the tensile true stress–strain curves, and the DSA region was defined. In describing the tensile curves, Ludwigson's equation was superior to the other equations, and the DSA region was adequately defined by this equation as plateaus at intermediate temperatures from 200°C to 700°C. It was identified that Alloy 617 is dominated by three types of serrations, known as Types D, A+B, and C. The activation energy values for each serration type were obtained by the Arrhenius equation. By using the obtained activation energy values, the serrated yielding map and the DSA mechanism were drawn and manifested. In addition, the relationship between the tensile strength and strain rate at higher temperatures above 700°C was found to be closely related to the amounts of slip lines. In the scanning electron microscope (SEM) fractographs, there was a significant difference at the low, intermediate, and high temperatures, but almost the same to the three strain rates.

Strain-dependent dynamic compressive properties of magnetorheological elastomeric foams

Science.gov (United States)

Wereley, Norman M.; Perez, Colette; Choi, Young T.

2018-05-01

This paper addresses the strain-dependent dynamic compressive properties (i.e., so-called Payne effect) of magnetorheological elastomeric foams (MREFs). Isotropic MREF samples (i.e., no oriented particle chain structures), fabricated in flat square shapes (nominal size of 26.5 mm x 26.5 mm x 9.5 mm) were synthesized by randomly dispersing micron-sized iron oxide particles (Fe3O4) into a liquid silicone foam in the absence of magnetic field. Five different Fe3O4 particle concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10 percent by volume fraction (hereinafter denoted as vol%) were used to investigate the effect of particle concentration on the dynamic compressive properties of the MREFs. The MREFs were sandwiched between two multi-pole flexible plate magnets in order to activate the magnetorheological (MR) strengthening effect. Under two different pre-compression conditions (i.e., 35% and 50%), the dynamic compressive stresses of the MREFs with respect to dynamic strain amplitudes (i.e., 1%-10%) were measured by using a servo-hydraulic testing machine. The complex modulus (i.e., storage modulus and loss modulus) and loss factors of the MREFs with respect to dynamic strain amplitudes were presented as performance indices to evaluate their strain-dependent dynamic compressive behavior.

Strain-dependent dynamic compressive properties of magnetorheological elastomeric foams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norman M. Wereley

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses the strain-dependent dynamic compressive properties (i.e., so-called Payne effect of magnetorheological elastomeric foams (MREFs. Isotropic MREF samples (i.e., no oriented particle chain structures, fabricated in flat square shapes (nominal size of 26.5 mm x 26.5 mm x 9.5 mm were synthesized by randomly dispersing micron-sized iron oxide particles (Fe3O4 into a liquid silicone foam in the absence of magnetic field. Five different Fe3O4 particle concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10 percent by volume fraction (hereinafter denoted as vol% were used to investigate the effect of particle concentration on the dynamic compressive properties of the MREFs. The MREFs were sandwiched between two multi-pole flexible plate magnets in order to activate the magnetorheological (MR strengthening effect. Under two different pre-compression conditions (i.e., 35% and 50%, the dynamic compressive stresses of the MREFs with respect to dynamic strain amplitudes (i.e., 1%-10% were measured by using a servo-hydraulic testing machine. The complex modulus (i.e., storage modulus and loss modulus and loss factors of the MREFs with respect to dynamic strain amplitudes were presented as performance indices to evaluate their strain-dependent dynamic compressive behavior.

Experimental Characterization of Stress- and Strain-Dependent Stiffness in Grouted Rock Masses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji-Won Kim

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Grouting of fractured rock mass prior to excavation results in grout-filled discontinuities that govern the deformation characteristics of a site. The influence of joint characteristics on the properties of grouted rocks is important in assessing the effects of grouting on jointed rock mass. However, grouting remains a predominantly empirical practice and the effects of grouting on rock joint behavior and material properties have yet to be accurately assessed. Granular materials, including jointed rocks, typically display nonlinear strain-dependent responses that can be characterized by the shear modulus degradation curve. In this study, the effects of grouting on the strain-dependent shear stiffness of jointed rock mass were investigated at the small-strain (below 10−5 and mid-strain (10−5 to 10−3 ranges using the quasi-static resonant column test and rock mass dynamic test devices. The effects of curing time, axial stress, initial joint roughness, and grouted joint thickness were examined. The results show that (1 grouting of rock joints leads to decreased stress sensitivity and increased small-strain shear stiffness for all tested samples; (2 the grouted rock samples display similar modulus degradation characteristics as the applied grout material; (3 the initial joint roughness determines the stress-dependent behaviors and general stiffness range of the jointed and grouted rocks, but the strain-dependent behaviors are dependent on the properties of the grout material; (4 increased grouted joint thickness results in larger contribution of the grout properties in the overall grouted rock mass.

Use of Ti plasmid DNA probes for determining tumorigenicity of agrobacterium strains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burr, T.J.; Norelli, J.L.; Katz, B.H.; Bishop, A.L.

1990-01-01

Probes consisting of T-DNA genes from the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens were used for determining tumorigenicity of strains. Two 32 P-labeled probes hybridized with 28 of 28 tumorigenic strains of the pathogen but not with 20 of 22 nontumorigenic strains. One probe, pTHE17, consists of all but the far left portion of the T-DNA of strain C58. Probe SmaI7 consists of SmaI fragment 7 of pTiC58, including onc genes 1, 4, and 6a and most of 2. Another probe, pAL4044, consisting of the vir region of strain Ach-5, hybridized with several nontumorigenic as well as tumorigenic strains. Colony hybridizations were done with 28 tumorigenic and 22 nontumorigenic Agrobacterium strains. About 10 6 CFU of the different tumorigenic strains were detectable with this method. Southern analyses confirmed the presence or absence of Ti plasmids in strains for which tumorigenicity was questioned. Colony hybridization with the T-DNA probes provides a rapid and sensitive means for determining the tumorigenic nature of Agrobacterium strains

Degradation of carbazole, dibenzothiophene, and dibenzofuran at low temperature by Pseudomonas sp. strain C3211.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Anne-Mette; Finster, Kai Waldemar; Karlson, Ulrich

2003-04-01

Pseudomonas sp. strain C3211 was isolated from a temperate climate soil contaminated with creosote. This strain was able to degrade carbazole, dibenzothiophene and dibenzofuran at 10 degrees C with acetone as a co-substrate. When dibenzothiophene was degraded by strain C3211, an orange compound, which absorbed at 472 nm, accumulated in the medium. Degradation of dibenzofuran was followed by accumulation of a yellowish compound, absorbing at 462 nm. The temperature optimum of strain C3211 for degradation of dibenzothiophene and dibenzofuran was at 20 to 21 degrees C, while the maximum temperature for degradation was at 27 degrees C. Both compounds were degraded at 4 degrees C. Degradation at 10 degrees C was faster than degradation at 25 degrees C. This indicates that strain C3211 is adapted to life at low temperatures.

From measurements errors to a new strain gauge design for composite materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Lars Pilgaard; Salviato, Marco; Gili, Jacopo

2015-01-01

Significant over-prediction of the material stiffness in the order of 1-10% for polymer based composites has been experimentally observed and numerical determined when using strain gauges for strain measurements instead of non-contact methods such as digital image correlation or less stiff method...

Dynamic tensile fracture of mortar at ultra-high strain-rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erzar, B.; Buzaud, E.; Chanal, P.-Y.

2013-01-01

During the lifetime of a structure, concrete and mortar may be exposed to highly dynamic loadings, such as impact or explosion. The dynamic fracture at high loading rates needs to be well understood to allow an accurate modeling of this kind of event. In this work, a pulsed-power generator has been employed to conduct spalling tests on mortar samples at strain-rates ranging from 2 × 10 4 to 4 × 10 4  s −1 . The ramp loading allowed identifying the strain-rate anytime during the test. A power law has been proposed to fit properly the rate-sensitivity of tensile strength of this cementitious material over a wide range of strain-rate. Moreover, a specimen has been recovered damaged but unbroken. Micro-computed tomography has been employed to study the characteristics of the damage pattern provoked by the dynamic tensile loading

Thermal conductivity of graphene mediated by strain and size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuang, Youdi; Shi, Sanqiang; Wang, Xinjiang

2016-01-01

Based on first-principles calculations and full iterative solution of the linearized Boltzmann–Peierls transport equation for phonons, we systematically investigate effects of strain, size and temperature on the thermal conductivity k of suspended graphene. The calculated size-dependent and temperature-dependent k for finite samples agree well with experimental data. The results show that, contrast to the convergent room-temperature k = 5450 W/m-K of unstrained graphene at a sample size ~8 cm, k of strained graphene diverges with increasing the sample size even at high temperature. Out-of-plane acoustic phonons are responsible for the significant size effect in unstrained and strained graphene due to their ultralong mean free path and acoustic phonons with wavelength smaller than 10 nm contribute 80% to the intrinsic room temperature k of unstrained graphene. Tensile strain hardens the flexural modes and increases their lifetimes, causing interesting dependence of k on sample size and strain due to the competition between boundary scattering and intrinsic phonon–phonon scattering. k of graphene can be tuned within a large range by strain for the size larger than 500 μm. These findings shed light on the nature of thermal transport in two-dimensional materials and may guide predicting and engineering k of graphene by varying strain and size

Study on breeding of daptomycin-producing strains by nitrogen ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Jian; Liu Ying; Fang Dongsheng; Jiang Hong; Zhang Yin; Gao Wuyan

2008-01-01

Streptomyces roseosporus C20, the bacteria used in production of daptomycin, were implanted with (15-200)x10 13 /cm 2 of 20keV N + ions. Survival rate of the bacteria at different absorbed doses was investigated, and mutagenic effects of the microbe were studied. After breeding under the selection pressure of resistance to streptomycin (the lethal concentration is 1.2μg/mL), several mutant strains with higher yields of daptomycin have been obtained. One of mutant strains, N3-36, can increase up to 126% compared to the original strain. It also shows that the mutant strains have high genetic stability. (authors)

Influence of Strain Rate on Heat Release under Quasi-Static Stretching of Metals. Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Zimin, B. A.; Sventitskaya, V. E.; Smirnov, I. V.; Sud'enkov, Yu. V.

2018-04-01

The paper presents the results of experimental studies of energy dissipation during a quasi-static stretching of metals and alloys at room temperature. The strain rates varied in the range of 10-3-10-2 s-1. Samples of M1 copper, AZ31B magnesium alloy, BT6 titanium, 12Cr18Ni10Ti steel, and D16AM aluminum alloy were analyzed. The experimental results demonstrated a significant dependence of the heat release on the strain rate in the absence of its influence on stress-strain diagrams for all the metals studied in this range of strain rates. The correlation of the changes in the character of heat release with the processes of structural transformations at various stages of plastic flow is shown on the qualitative level. A difference in the nature of the processes of heat release in materials with different ratios of the plasticity and strength is noted.

Effect of uniaxial strain on adatom diffusion across {l_brace}1 1 1{r_brace}-faceted step

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang Jianyu, E-mail: wuliyangjianyu@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Maths and Physics, Hunan Institute of Engineering, Donghu Street, Xiangtan 411104 (China); Hu Wangyu, E-mail: Wangyuhu2001@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Tang Jianfeng [Department of Applied Physics, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128 (China)

2011-02-01

Diffusion of Pt adatom across the strained {l_brace}1 1 1{r_brace}-faceted step is studied by embedded atom method along with nudged elastic band method. For adatom on the flat (1 1 1) surface, the anisotropic diffusion behavior is found as the uniaxial strain is imposed. For the strained {l_brace}1 1 1{r_brace}-faceted step, our results show that the maximum energy barrier for adatom crossing step edge remains approximately constant as the strain varied from -1.0% to 1.0%, and there is a rise as the larger uniaxial strain is applied. The calculated energy barrier for adatom diffusion along the step edge increases with increasing tensile strain, and the slope of the straight line is small.

Strain acceleration of the low temperature irradiated zirconium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fortis, Ana M.; Coccoz, Guillermina D. H.

2003-01-01

The strain of a Zr-0,06 at.% 235 U specimen irradiated during 4800 h in the RA-3 at a temperature near 40 C degrees is presented. An equivalent neutron fluence of 3.1 x 10 26 n m -2 was achieved by means of the generation of fission fragment within the material. The experimental conditions are described and a sudden strain acceleration independent of the neutron flux variations occurred during irradiation is shown. This behavior is compared with previous data obtained at different temperatures. (author)

Genetic Diversity and Transmission Characteristics of Beijing Family Strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Iwamoto, Tomotada; Grandjean, Louis; Arikawa, Kentaro; Nakanishi, Noriko; Caviedes, Luz; Coronel, Jorge; Sheen, Patricia; Wada, Takayuki; Taype, Carmen A.; Shaw, Marie-Anne; Moore, David A. J.; Gilman, Robert H.

2012-01-01

Beijing family strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have attracted worldwide attention because of their wide geographical distribution and global emergence. Peru, which has a historical relationship with East Asia, is considered to be a hotspot for Beijing family strains in South America. We aimed to unveil the genetic diversity and transmission characteristics of the Beijing strains in Peru. A total of 200 Beijing family strains were identified from 2140 M. tuberculosis isolates obtained in Lima, Peru, between December 2008 and January 2010. Of them, 198 strains were classified into sublineages, on the basis of 10 sets of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). They were also subjected to variable number tandem-repeat (VNTR) typing using an international standard set of 15 loci (15-MIRU-VNTR) plus 9 additional loci optimized for Beijing strains. An additional 70 Beijing family strains, isolated between 1999 and 2006 in Lima, were also analyzed in order to make a longitudinal comparison. The Beijing family was the third largest spoligotyping clade in Peru. Its population structure, by SNP typing, was characterized by a high frequency of Sequence Type 10 (ST10), which belongs to a modern subfamily of Beijing strains (178/198, 89.9%). Twelve strains belonged to the ancient subfamily (ST3 [n = 3], ST25 [n = 1], ST19 [n = 8]). Overall, the polymorphic information content for each of the 24 loci values was low. The 24 loci VNTR showed a high clustering rate (80.3%) and a high recent transmission index (RTIn−1 = 0.707). These strongly suggest the active and on-going transmission of Beijing family strains in the survey area. Notably, 1 VNTR genotype was found to account for 43.9% of the strains. Comparisons with data from East Asia suggested the genotype emerged as a uniquely endemic clone in Peru. A longitudinal comparison revealed the genotype was present in Lima by 1999. PMID:23185395

Strain of laser annealed silicon surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Nemanich, R. J.; Haneman, D.

1982-05-01

High resolution Raman scattering measurements have been carried out on pulse and continuous-wave laser annealed silicon samples with various surface preparations. These included polished and ion-bombarded wafers, and saw-cut crystals. The pulse annealing treatments were carried out in ultrahigh vacuum and in air. The residual strain was inferred from the frequency shift of the first-order Raman active mode of Si, and was detectable in the range 10-2-10-3 in all except the polished samples.

Strain hardening rate sensitivity and strain rate sensitivity in TWIP steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bintu, Alexandra [TEMA, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 (Portugal); Vincze, Gabriela, E-mail: gvincze@ua.pt [TEMA, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 (Portugal); Picu, Catalin R. [Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180 (United States); Lopes, Augusto B. [CICECO, Department of Materials and Ceramic Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 (Portugal); Grácio, Jose J. [TEMA, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 (Portugal); Barlat, Frederic [Materials Mechanics Laboratory, Graduate Institute of Ferrous Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-04-01

TWIP steels are materials with very high strength and exceptional strain hardening capability, parameters leading to large energy absorption before failure. However, TWIP steels also exhibit reduced (often negative) strain rate sensitivity (SRS) which limits the post-necking deformation. In this study we demonstrate for an austenitic TWIP steel with 18% Mn a strong dependence of the twinning rate on the strain rate, which results in negative strain hardening rate sensitivity (SHRS). The instantaneous component of SHRS is large and negative, while its transient is close to zero. The SRS is observed to decrease with strain, becoming negative for larger strains. Direct observations of the strain rate dependence of the twinning rate are made using electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction, which substantiate the proposed mechanism for the observed negative SHRS.

Strain hardening rate sensitivity and strain rate sensitivity in TWIP steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bintu, Alexandra; Vincze, Gabriela; Picu, Catalin R.; Lopes, Augusto B.; Grácio, Jose J.; Barlat, Frederic

2015-01-01

TWIP steels are materials with very high strength and exceptional strain hardening capability, parameters leading to large energy absorption before failure. However, TWIP steels also exhibit reduced (often negative) strain rate sensitivity (SRS) which limits the post-necking deformation. In this study we demonstrate for an austenitic TWIP steel with 18% Mn a strong dependence of the twinning rate on the strain rate, which results in negative strain hardening rate sensitivity (SHRS). The instantaneous component of SHRS is large and negative, while its transient is close to zero. The SRS is observed to decrease with strain, becoming negative for larger strains. Direct observations of the strain rate dependence of the twinning rate are made using electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction, which substantiate the proposed mechanism for the observed negative SHRS

Strain-tempering of low carbon martensite steel wire by rapid heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torisaka, Yasunori; Kihara, Junji

1978-01-01

In the production of prestressed concrete steel wires, a series of the cold drawing-patenting process are performed to improve the strength. In order to reduce cyclic process, the low carbon martensite steel wire which can be produced only by the process of hot rolling and direct quench has been investigated as strain-tempering material. When strain-tempering is performed on the low carbon martensite steel wire, stress relaxation (Re%) increases and mechanical properties such as total elongation, reduction of area, ultimate tensile strength and proof stress decrease remarkably by annealing. In order to shorten the heating time, the authors performed on the steel wire the strain-tempering with a heating time of 1.0 s using direct electrical resistance heating and examined the effects of rapid heating on the stress relaxation and the mechanical properties. Stress relaxation decreases without impairment of the mechanical properties up to a strain-tempering temperature of 573 K. Re(%) after 10.8 ks is 0% at the testing temperature 301 K, 0.49% at 363 K and 1.39% at 433 K. (auth.)

Strain-dependent Damage in Mouse Lung After Carbon Ion Irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moritake, Takashi [Advanced Radiation Biology Research Program, Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan); Proton Medical Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba (Japan); Fujita, Hidetoshi; Yanagisawa, Mitsuru; Nakawatari, Miyako; Imadome, Kaori; Nakamura, Etsuko; Iwakawa, Mayumi [Advanced Radiation Biology Research Program, Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan); Imai, Takashi, E-mail: imait@nirs.go.jp [Advanced Radiation Biology Research Program, Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan)

2012-09-01

Purpose: To examine whether inherent factors produce differences in lung morbidity in response to carbon ion (C-ion) irradiation, and to identify the molecules that have a key role in strain-dependent adverse effects in the lung. Methods and Materials: Three strains of female mice (C3H/He Slc, C57BL/6J Jms Slc, and A/J Jms Slc) were locally irradiated in the thorax with either C-ion beams (290 MeV/n, in 6 cm spread-out Bragg peak) or with {sup 137}Cs {gamma}-rays as a reference beam. We performed survival assays and histologic examination of the lung with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. In addition, we performed immunohistochemical staining for hyaluronic acid (HA), CD44, and Mac3 and assayed for gene expression. Results: The survival data in mice showed a between-strain variance after C-ion irradiation with 10 Gy. The median survival time of C3H/He was significantly shortened after C-ion irradiation at the higher dose of 12.5 Gy. Histologic examination revealed early-phase hemorrhagic pneumonitis in C3H/He and late-phase focal fibrotic lesions in C57BL/6J after C-ion irradiation with 10 Gy. Pleural effusion was apparent in C57BL/6J and A/J mice, 168 days after C-ion irradiation with 10 Gy. Microarray analysis of irradiated lung tissue in the three mouse strains identified differential expression changes in growth differentiation factor 15 (Gdf15), which regulates macrophage function, and hyaluronan synthase 1 (Has1), which plays a role in HA metabolism. Immunohistochemistry showed that the number of CD44-positive cells, a surrogate marker for HA accumulation, and Mac3-positive cells, a marker for macrophage infiltration in irradiated lung, varied significantly among the three mouse strains during the early phase. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a strain-dependent differential response in mice to C-ion thoracic irradiation. Our findings identified candidate molecules that could be implicated in the between-strain variance to early

The mutagenesis and breeding of high productive strains of streptomyces jingyangensis '5406'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi Hongyan; Yin Xinyun

1988-03-01

The purpose of these experiments is to explore the mutagenesis rhythm and breed high productive strains of actinomycete '5406'. The single colony agar pieces of strain F 358 were treated with fast neutron and 60 Co-γ ray irradiation Two mutants have been selected from 20025 treated single colonies. The output of cytokinins from them is higher than from strain F 358 . The original strain 'Mu-Tan-al' rejuvenated by freezing was treated with several physical and chemical mutagens. The mutagenesis rhythm has been summed up tentatively. Eight mutants obtained from 93014 treated single colonies produced more '5406' antibiotics than that of strain 'Mu-Tan-al,. The effect of mutant 'N2-10-Ra3' was the best

Remarkable strain-induced magnetic anisotropy in epitaxial Co2MnGa (0 0 1) films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pechan, Michael J.; Yu, Chengtao; Carr, David; Palmstroem, Chris J.

2005-01-01

Remarkably large, strain-induced anisotropy is observed in the thin-film Heusler alloy Co 2 MnGa. 30 nm Co 2 MnGa (0 0 1) films have been epitaxially grown on different interlayers/substrates with varied strain, and investigated with ferromagnetic resonance. The film grown on ErAs/InGaAs/InP experiences tension strain, resulting in an out-of-plane strain-induced anisotropy (∼1.1x10 6 erg/cm 3 ) adding to the effects of shape anisotropy. In contrast, the film grown on ScErAs/GaAs, experiences a compression strain, resulting in an out-of-plane strain-induced anisotropy (∼3.3x10 6 erg/cm 3 ) which almost totally cancels the effects of shape anisotropy, thus rendering the film virtually isotropic. This results in the formation of stripe domains in remanence. In addition, small, but well-defined 2-fold and 4-fold in-plane anisotropy coexist in each sample with weak, but interesting strain dependence. Transport measurement shows small (<1%) magnetoresistance effects in the compression film, but negligible magnetoresistance in the relaxed and tension strained samples

Phylogenetic analysis of several Thermus strains from Rehai of Tengchong, Yunnan, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Lianbing; Zhang, Jie; Wei, Yunlin; Chen, Chaoyin; Peng, Qian

2005-10-01

Several Thermus strains were isolated from 10 hot springs of the Rehai geothermal area in Tengchong, Yunnan province. The diversity of Thermus strains was examined by sequencing the 16S rRNA genes and comparing their sequences. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 16S rDNA sequences from the Rehai geothermal isolates form four branches in the phylogenetic tree and had greater than 95.9% similarity in the phylogroup. Secondary structure comparison also indicated that the 16S rRNA from the Rehai geothermal isolates have unique secondary structure characteristics in helix 6, helix 9, and helix 10 (reference to Escherichia coli). This research is the first attempt to reveal the diversity of Thermus strains that are distributed in the Rehai geothermal area.

Identification of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Strains from Avian Organic Fertilizers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Puño-Sarmiento

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The Brazilian poultry industry generates large amounts of organic waste, such as chicken litter, which is often used in agriculture. Among the bacteria present in organic fertilizer are members of the Enterobacteriaceae family. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC strains in avian organic fertilizer, and assess the potential damage they can cause in humans due to antimicrobial resistance. The presence of DEC pathotypes and phylogenetic groups were detected by multiplex-PCR. Phenotypic assays, such as tests for adhesion, cytotoxicity activity, biofilm formation and especially antimicrobial susceptibility, were performed. Fifteen DEC strains from 64 E. coli were isolated. Among these, four strains were classified as enteropathogenic (EPEC; 6.2%, three strains as Shiga toxin-producing (STEC; 4.7%, 10 strains as enteroaggregative (EAEC; 12.5%, but two of these harbored the eaeA gene too. The low number of isolated strains was most likely due to the composting process, which reduces the number of microorganisms. These strains were able to adhere to HEp-2 and HeLa cells and produce Shiga-toxins and biofilms; in addition, some of the strains showed antimicrobial resistance, which indicates a risk of the transfer of resistance genes to human E. coli. These results showed that DEC strains isolated from avian organic fertilizers can cause human infections.

Identification of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli strains from avian organic fertilizers.

Science.gov (United States)

Puño-Sarmiento, Juan; Gazal, Luis Eduardo; Medeiros, Leonardo P; Nishio, Erick K; Kobayashi, Renata K T; Nakazato, Gerson

2014-08-28

The Brazilian poultry industry generates large amounts of organic waste, such as chicken litter, which is often used in agriculture. Among the bacteria present in organic fertilizer are members of the Enterobacteriaceae family. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) strains in avian organic fertilizer, and assess the potential damage they can cause in humans due to antimicrobial resistance. The presence of DEC pathotypes and phylogenetic groups were detected by multiplex-PCR. Phenotypic assays, such as tests for adhesion, cytotoxicity activity, biofilm formation and especially antimicrobial susceptibility, were performed. Fifteen DEC strains from 64 E. coli were isolated. Among these, four strains were classified as enteropathogenic (EPEC; 6.2%), three strains as Shiga toxin-producing (STEC; 4.7%), 10 strains as enteroaggregative (EAEC; 12.5%), but two of these harbored the eaeA gene too. The low number of isolated strains was most likely due to the composting process, which reduces the number of microorganisms. These strains were able to adhere to HEp-2 and HeLa cells and produce Shiga-toxins and biofilms; in addition, some of the strains showed antimicrobial resistance, which indicates a risk of the transfer of resistance genes to human E. coli. These results showed that DEC strains isolated from avian organic fertilizers can cause human infections.

Large piezoelectric strain with ultra-low strain hysteresis in highly c-axis oriented Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 films with columnar growth on amorphous glass substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Minh D; Houwman, Evert P; Rijnders, Guus

2017-10-10

Thin films of PbZr 0 . 52 Ti 0 . 48 O 3 (PZT) with largely detached columnar grains, deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on amorphous glass substrates covered with Ca 2 Nb 3 O 10 nanosheets as growth template and using LaNiO 3 electrode layers, are shown to exhibit very high unipolar piezoelectric strain and ultra-low strain hysteresis. The observed increase of the piezoelectric coefficient with increasing film thickness is attributed to the reduction of clamping, because of the increasingly less dense columnar microstructure (more separation between the grains) with across the film thickness. A very large piezoelectric coefficient (490 pm/V) and a high piezoelectric strain (~0.9%) are obtained in 4-µm-thick film under an applied electric field of 200 kV/cm, which is several times larger than in usual PZT ceramics. Further very low strain hysteresis (H≈2-4%) is observed in 4 to 5 µm thick films. These belong to the best values demonstrated so far in piezoelectric films. Fatigue testing shows that the piezoelectric properties are stable up to 10 10 cycles. The growth of high quality PZT films with very large strain and piezoelectric coefficients, very low hysteresis and with long-term stability on a technologically important substrate as glass is of great significance for the development of practical piezo driven microelectromechanical actuator systems.

Irradiation effects in strain aged pressure vessel steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grounes, M; Myers, H P

1962-02-15

Tensile specimens, Charpy-V notch and subsize impact specimens of an aluminium killed carbon manganese steel, have been irradiated at 160 - 190 deg C in the reactor G1. The total neutron dose received was 2.4 x 10{sup 18} n/cm{sup 2} (> 1 MeV). Specimens were prepared from normalized plate and from strain aged material from the same plate. It was found that the changes in brittle ductile transition temperature due to neutron irradiation and those due to strain ageing must be considered additive.

Variation in the strain anisotropy of Zircaloy with temperature and strain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hindle, E.D.; Worswick, D.

1984-04-01

Strain anisotropy was investigated at temperatures in the range 293 to 1117K in circular tensile specimens prepared from rolled Zircaloy-2 plate so that their tensile axes were parallel to and transverse to the rolling direction. The strain anisotropy factor for both types of specimen increased markedly in the high alpha phase region above 923K reaching a maximum at circa 1070K. Above this temperature in the alpha-plus-beta phase region the strain anisotropy decreased rapidly as the proportion of beta phase increased and was almost non-existent at 1173K. The strain anisotropy was markedly strain dependent, particularly in the high alpha phase region. The study was extended to Zircaloy-4 pressurized water reactor (PWR) 17 x 17 type fuel rod tubing specimens which were strained under biaxial conditions using cooling conditions which promoted uniform diametral strain over most of their lengths (circa 250 mm). In these circumstances the strain anisotropy is manifest by a reduction in length. Measurement of this change along with that in diameter and wall thickness produced data from which the strain anisotropy factor was calculated. The results, although influenced by additional factors discussed in the paper, were similar to those observed in the uniaxial Zircaloy-2 tensile tests. (author)

Strain rate sensitivity and evolution of dislocations and twins in a twinning-induced plasticity steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Z.Y.; Wang, X.; Huang, W.; Huang, M.X.

2015-01-01

The present work investigated the effect of strain rates (10 −3 to 10 3 s −1 ) on the deformation behaviour of a twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steel. The strain rate sensitivity was studied in terms of instantaneous strain rate sensitivity (ISRS) and strain rate sensitivity of work-hardening (SRSW). While ISRS concerns the instantaneous flow stress change upon strain rate jump, SRSW deals with the subsequent modification in microstructure evolution, i.e. change of work-hardening rate. The present TWIP steel demonstrates a positive ISRS which remains stable during deformation and a negative SRSW, i.e. lower work-hardening rate at higher strain rate. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments indicate that the negative SRSW should be attributed to the suppression of dislocations and deformation twins at high strain rate. This unexpected finding is different to conventional face-centred cubic (fcc) metals which generally show enhanced work-hardening rate at higher strain rate. A constitutive model which is strain rate- and temperature-dependent is developed to explain the stable ISRS and the negative SRSW. The modelling results reveal that the stable ISRS should be attributed to the thermally-activated dislocation motion dominated by interstitial carbon atoms and the negative SRSW should be due to the suppression of the dislocations and deformation twins caused by the adiabatic heating associated with high strain rate deformation

Immune response to Bifidobacterium bifidum strains support Treg/Th17 plasticity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia López

Full Text Available In this work we analyzed the immune activation properties of different Bifidobacterium strains in order to establish their ability as inductors of specific effector (Th or regulatory (Treg responses. First, we determined the cytokine pattern induced by 21 Bifidobacterium strains in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs. Results showed that four Bifidobacterium bifidum strains showed the highest production of IL-17 as well as a poor secretion of IFNγ and TNFα, suggesting a Th17 profile whereas other Bifidobacterium strains exhibited a Th1-suggestive profile. Given the key role of Th17 subsets in mucosal defence, strains suggestive of Th17 responses and the putative Th1 Bifidobacterium breve BM12/11 were selected to stimulate dendritic cells (DC to further determine their capability to induce the differentiation of naïve CD4(+ lymphocytes toward different Th or Treg cells. All selected strains were able to induce phenotypic DC maturation, but showed differences in cytokine stimulation, DC treated with the putative Th17 strains displaying high IL-1β/IL-12 and low IL-12/IL-10 index, whereas BM12/11-DC exhibited the highest IL-12/IL-10 ratio. Differentiation of naïve lymphocytes confirmed Th1 polarization by BM12/11. Unexpectedly, any B. bifidum strain showed significant capability for Th17 generation, and they were able to generate functional Treg, thus suggesting differences between in vivo and vitro responses. In fact, activation of memory lymphocytes present in PBMCS with these bacteria, point out the presence in vivo of specific Th17 cells, supporting the plasticity of Treg/Th17 populations and the key role of commensal bacteria in mucosal tolerance and T cell reprogramming when needed.

Efficient production of 2,3-butanediol from corn stover hydrolysate by using a thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis strain.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lixiang; Li, Kun; Wang, Kai; Chen, Chao; Gao, Chao; Ma, Cuiqing; Xu, Ping

2014-10-01

In this study, a thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis strain X10 was newly isolated for 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) production from lignocellulosic hydrolysate. Strain X10 could utilize glucose and xylose simultaneously without carbon catabolite repression. In addition, strain X10 possesses high tolerance to fermentation inhibitors including furfural, vanillin, formic acid, and acetic acid. In a fed-batch fermentation, 74.0g/L of 2,3-BD was obtained from corn stover hydrolysate, with a productivity of 2.1g/Lh and a yield of 94.6%. Thus, this thermophilic B. licheniformis strain is a candidate for the development of efficient industrial production of 2,3-BD from corn stover hydrolysate. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement test on creep strain rate of uranium-zirconium solid solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogata, Takanari; Akabori, Mitsuo; Ogawa, Toru

1996-11-01

In order to measure creep strain rate of a small specimen of U-Zr solid solution, authors proposed an estimation method which was based upon the stress relaxation after compression. It was applied to measurement test on creep strain rate of the U-10wt%Zr specimen in the temperature range of 757 to 911degC. It may be concluded that the proposed method is valid, provided that the strain is within the appropriate range and that sufficient amount of the load decrement is observed. The obtained creep rate of U-10wt%Zr alloy indicated significantly smaller value, compared to the experimental data for pure U metal and evaluated data for U-Pu-Zr alloy. However, more careful measurement is desired in future since the present data are thought to be influenced by the precipitations included in the specimen. (author)

Lichenysin is produced by most Bacillus licheniformis strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Madslien, E H; Rønning, H T; Lindbäck, T; Hassel, B; Andersson, M A; Granum, P E

2013-10-01

The aim of this study was to elucidate the prevalence of lichenysin production in Bacillus licheniformis and to see whether this feature was restricted to certain genotypes. Secondly, we wanted to see whether cytotoxicity reflected the measured levels of lichenysin. Fifty-three genotyped strains of B. licheniformis, representing a wide variety of sources, were included. lchAA gene fragments were detected in all strains by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All 53 strains produced lichenysins with four molecular masses as confirmed by LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry) analysis. The amounts of lichenysin varied more than two orders of magnitude between strains and were irrespective of genotype. Finally, there was a strong association between lichenysin concentrations and toxicity towards boar spermatozoa, erythrocytes and Vero cells. Lichenysin synthesis was universal among the 53 B. licheniformis strains examined. The quantities varied considerably between strains, but were not specifically associated with genotype. Cytotoxicity was evident at lichenysin concentrations above 10 μg ml(-1) , which is in accordance with previous studies. This study might be of interest to those working on B. licheniformis for commercial use as well as for authorities who make risk assessments of B. licheniformis when used as a food and feed additive. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Fumonisin and Ochratoxin Production in Industrial Aspergillus niger Strains

Science.gov (United States)

Frisvad, Jens C.; Larsen, Thomas O.; Thrane, Ulf; Meijer, Martin; Varga, Janos; Samson, Robert A.; Nielsen, Kristian F.

2011-01-01

Aspergillus niger is perhaps the most important fungus used in biotechnology, and is also one of the most commonly encountered fungi contaminating foods and feedstuffs, and occurring in soil and indoor environments. Many of its industrial applications have been given GRAS status (generally regarded as safe). However, A. niger has the potential to produce two groups of potentially carcinogenic mycotoxins: fumonisins and ochratoxins. In this study all available industrial and many non-industrial strains of A. niger (180 strains) as well as 228 strains from 17 related black Aspergillus species were examined for mycotoxin production. None of the related 17 species of black Aspergilli produced fumonisins. Fumonisins (B2, B4, and B6) were detected in 81% of A. niger, and ochratoxin A in 17%, while 10% of the strains produced both mycotoxins. Among the industrial strains the same ratios were 83%, 33% and 26% respectively. Some of the most frequently used strains in industry NRRL 337, 3112 and 3122 produced both toxins and several strains used for citric acid production were among the best producers of fumonisins in pure agar culture. Most strains used for other biotechnological processes also produced fumonisins. Strains optimized through random mutagenesis usually maintained their mycotoxin production capability. Toxigenic strains were also able to produce the toxins on media suggested for citric acid production with most of the toxins found in the biomass, thereby questioning the use of the remaining biomass as animal feed. In conclusion it is recommended to use strains of A. niger with inactive or inactivated gene clusters for fumonisins and ochratoxins, or to choose isolates for biotechnological uses in related non-toxigenic species such as A. tubingensis, A. brasiliensis, A vadensis or A. acidus, which neither produce fumonisins nor ochratoxins. PMID:21853139

Pseudomonas cremoricolorata Strain ND07 Produces N-acyl Homoserine Lactones as Quorum Sensing Molecules

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nina Yusrina Muhamad Yunos

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Quorum sensing (QS is a bacterial cell-to-cell communication system controlling QS-mediated genes which is synchronized with the population density. The regulation of specific gene activity is dependent on the signaling molecules produced, namely N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs. We report here the identification and characterization of AHLs produced by bacterial strain ND07 isolated from a Malaysian fresh water sample. Molecular identification showed that strain ND07 is clustered closely to Pseudomonas cremoricolorata. Spent culture supernatant extract of P. cremoricolorata strain ND07 activated the AHL biosensor Chromobacterium violaceum CV026. Using high resolution triple quadrupole liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, it was confirmed that P. cremoricolorata strain ND07 produced N-octanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL and N-decanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C10-HSL. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documentation on the production of C10-HSL in P. cremoricolorata strain ND07.

Haemophilus ducreyi Cutaneous Ulcer Strains Are Nearly Identical to Class I Genital Ulcer Strains.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dharanesh Gangaiah

Full Text Available Although cutaneous ulcers (CU in the tropics is frequently attributed to Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue, the causative agent of yaws, Haemophilus ducreyi has emerged as a major cause of CU in yaws-endemic regions of the South Pacific islands and Africa. H. ducreyi is generally susceptible to macrolides, but CU strains persist after mass drug administration of azithromycin for yaws or trachoma. H. ducreyi also causes genital ulcers (GU and was thought to be exclusively transmitted by microabrasions that occur during sex. In human volunteers, the GU strain 35000HP does not infect intact skin; wounds are required to initiate infection. These data led to several questions: Are CU strains a new variant of H. ducreyi or did they evolve from GU strains? Do CU strains contain additional genes that could allow them to infect intact skin? Are CU strains susceptible to azithromycin?To address these questions, we performed whole-genome sequencing and antibiotic susceptibility testing of 5 CU strains obtained from Samoa and Vanuatu and 9 archived class I and class II GU strains. Except for single nucleotide polymorphisms, the CU strains were genetically almost identical to the class I strain 35000HP and had no additional genetic content. Phylogenetic analysis showed that class I and class II strains formed two separate clusters and CU strains evolved from class I strains. Class I strains diverged from class II strains ~1.95 million years ago (mya and CU strains diverged from the class I strain 35000HP ~0.18 mya. CU and GU strains evolved under similar selection pressures. Like 35000HP, the CU strains were highly susceptible to antibiotics, including azithromycin.These data suggest that CU strains are derivatives of class I strains that were not recognized until recently. These findings require confirmation by analysis of CU strains from other regions.

Factors affecting finite strain estimation in low-grade, low-strain clastic rocks

Science.gov (United States)

Pastor-Galán, Daniel; Gutiérrez-Alonso, Gabriel; Meere, Patrick A.; Mulchrone, Kieran F.

2009-12-01

The computer strain analysis methods SAPE, MRL and DTNNM have permitted the characterization of finite strain in two different regions with contrasting geodynamic scenarios; (1) the Talas Ala Tau (Tien Shan, Kyrgyzs Republic) and (2) the Somiedo Nappe and Narcea Antiform (Cantabrian to West Asturian-Leonese Zone boundary, Variscan Belt, NW of Iberia). The performed analyses have revealed low-strain values and the regional strain trend in both studied areas. This study also investigates the relationship between lithology (grain size and percentage of matrix) and strain estimates the two methodologies used. The results show that these methods are comparable and the absence of significant finite strain lithological control in rocks deformed under low metamorphic and low-strain conditions.

Optimal decolorization and kinetic modeling of synthetic dyes by Pseudomonas strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, J; Wang, X; Yue, P L

2001-10-01

Pseudomonas spp were isolated from an anaerobic-aerobic dyeing house wastewater treatment facility as the most active azo-dye degraders. Decolorization of azo dyes and non-azo dyes including anthraquinone, metal complex and indigo was compared with individual strains and a bacterial consortium consisting of the individual strain and municipal sludge (50 50wt). The consortium showed a significant improvement on decolorization of two recalcitrant non-azo dyes, but little effect on the dyes that the individual strains could degrade to a great or moderate extent. Decolorization of Acid violet 7 (monoazo) by a Pseudomonas strain GM3 was studied in detail under various conditions. The optimum decolorization activity was observed in a narrow pH range (7-8), a narrow temperature range (35-40 degrees C), and at the presence of organic and ammonium nitrogen. Nitrate had a severe inhibitory effect on azo dye decolorization: 10 mg/L led to 50% drop in decolorization activity and 1000 mg/L to complete activity depression. A kinetic model is established giving the dependence of decolorization rate on cell mass concentration (first-order) and dye concentration (half order). The rate increased with temperature from 10 to 35 C, which can be predicted by Arrhenius equation with the activation energy of 16.87 kcal/mol and the frequency factor of 1.49 x 10(11) (mg L)1/2/g DCM min.

Radioprotective effect of garlic extract on some bacterial strains with different radiation sensitivities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tawfik, Z.S.; Abushady, M.R.

1992-01-01

The radioprotective effect of garlic on four bacterial strains with different degrees of radiation sensitivities was investigated. The presence of garlic led to an increase in d-10 value of Ps. Aeruginosa, S. aureus and S. typhimurium by 160%, 50%, and 30% respectively. The protective efficiency of garlic against radiation was noticed to be proportional to its concentration in a given inoculum size. Garlic extract up to 180 micro liter per 10 8 inoculum size of B. cereus showed no protective effect. This fact was attributed to the existence of sulphur compounds in the given strain. Higher garlic concentrations appeared to affect the cloning efficiency of a given strain. 4fig., 2tab

Benchmarking two commonly used Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for heterologous vanillin-β-glucoside production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strucko, Tomas; Magdenoska, Olivera; Mortensen, Uffe Hasbro

2015-01-01

factories for production of specific compounds. To examine this possibility, we have reconstructed a de novo vanillin-β-glucoside pathway in an identical manner in S288c and CEN.PK strains. Characterization of the two resulting strains in two standard conditions revealed that the S288c background strain...... produced up to 10-fold higher amounts of vanillin-β-glucoside compared to CEN.PK. This study demonstrates that yeast strain background may play a major role in the outcome of newly developed cell factories for production of a given product....

Effect of axial tibial torque direction on ACL relative strain and strain rate in an in vitro simulated pivot landing.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Youkeun K; Kreinbrink, Jennifer L; Wojtys, Edward M; Ashton-Miller, James A

2012-04-01

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries most frequently occur under the large loads associated with a unipedal jump landing involving a cutting or pivoting maneuver. We tested the hypotheses that internal tibial torque would increase the anteromedial (AM) bundle ACL relative strain and strain rate more than would the corresponding external tibial torque under the large impulsive loads associated with such landing maneuvers. Twelve cadaveric female knees [mean (SD) age: 65.0 (10.5) years] were tested. Pretensioned quadriceps, hamstring, and gastrocnemius muscle-tendon unit forces maintained an initial knee flexion angle of 15°. A compound impulsive test load (compression, flexion moment, and internal or external tibial torque) was applied to the distal tibia while recording the 3D knee loads and tibofemoral kinematics. AM-ACL relative strain was measured using a 3 mm DVRT. In this repeated measures experiment, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to test the null hypotheses with p < 0.05 considered significant. The mean (±SD) peak AM-ACL relative strains were 5.4 ± 3.7% and 3.1 ± 2.8% under internal and external tibial torque, respectively. The corresponding mean (± SD) peak AM-ACL strain rates reached 254.4 ± 160.1%/s and 179.4 ± 109.9%/s, respectively. The hypotheses were supported in that the normalized mean peak AM-ACL relative strain and strain rate were 70 and 42% greater under internal than under external tibial torque, respectively (p = 0.023, p = 0.041). We conclude that internal tibial torque is a potent stressor of the ACL because it induces a considerably (70%) larger peak strain in the AM-ACL than does a corresponding external tibial torque. Copyright © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society.

Experimental reinfection of BALB/c mice with different recombinant type I/III strains of Toxoplasma gondii: involvement of IFN-³ and IL-10

OpenAIRE

Brandão,Geane Peroni; Melo,Maria Norma; Gazzinelli,Ricardo Tostes; Caetano,Braulia Costa; Ferreira,Adriana Melo; Silva,Letícia Azevedo; Vitor,Ricardo Wagner Almeida

2009-01-01

To assess reinfection of BALB/c mice with different Toxoplasma gondii strains, the animals were prime infected with the non-virulent D8 strain and challenged with virulent recombinant strains. Thirty days after challenge, brain cysts were obtained from surviving BALB/c mice and inoculated in Swiss mice to obtain tachyzoites for DNA extraction and PCR-RFLP analysis to distinguish the different T. gondii strains present in possible co-infections. Anti-Toxoplasma immune responses were evaluated ...

Genotyping of ancient Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains reveals historic genetic diversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Romy; Roberts, Charlotte A; Brown, Terence A

2014-04-22

The evolutionary history of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) has previously been studied by analysis of sequence diversity in extant strains, but not addressed by direct examination of strain genotypes in archaeological remains. Here, we use ancient DNA sequencing to type 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms and two large sequence polymorphisms in the MTBC strains present in 10 archaeological samples from skeletons from Britain and Europe dating to the second-nineteenth centuries AD. The results enable us to assign the strains to groupings and lineages recognized in the extant MTBC. We show that at least during the eighteenth-nineteenth centuries AD, strains of M. tuberculosis belonging to different genetic groups were present in Britain at the same time, possibly even at a single location, and we present evidence for a mixed infection in at least one individual. Our study shows that ancient DNA typing applied to multiple samples can provide sufficiently detailed information to contribute to both archaeological and evolutionary knowledge of the history of tuberculosis.

Morphogenesis and Biomechanics of Engineered Skin Cultured Under Uniaxial Strain.

Science.gov (United States)

Blackstone, Britani N; Powell, Heather M

2012-04-01

Split-thickness autograft is the standard wound treatment for full-thickness burns. In large burns, sparse availability of uninjured skin prevents rapid closure of the wound, resulting in increased scar tissue formation or mortality. Tissue-engineered skin (ES) offers promise when autografts are not available. ES, constructed from a polymeric scaffold and skin cells, has been shown to reduce donor site area required to permanently close wounds, mortality, and morbidity from scarring but cannot restore all skin functions. Current generations of ES are orders of magnitude weaker than normal human skin, leading to difficulty in surgical application, greater susceptibility to mechanical damage during fabrication and application, and less elasticity and strength once engrafted. Previous studies to improve ES biomechanics focus on altering the scaffolding material, which resulted in modest improvements but often inhibited proper skin development. As the skin is naturally under static strain, adding these mechanical cues to the culture environment is hypothesized to improve ES biomechanics. ES was cultured under applied static strains ranging from 0% to 40% strain for a total of 10 days. Strain magnitudes of 10% and 20% strain resulted in significantly stronger ES than unstrained controls, showed upregulation of many genes encoding structural extracellular matrix proteins, and exhibited increased epidermal cell proliferation and differentiation. Enhanced biomechanical properties of ES can allow for facile surgical application and less damage during dressing changes. These findings suggest that mechanical cues play a significant role in skin development and should be further explored.

Ecological divergence of a novel group of Chloroflexus strains along a geothermal gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

Weltzer, Michael L; Miller, Scott R

2013-02-01

Environmental gradients are expected to promote the diversification and coexistence of ecological specialists adapted to local conditions. Consistent with this view, genera of phototrophic microorganisms in alkaline geothermal systems generally appear to consist of anciently divergent populations which have specialized on different temperature habitats. At White Creek (Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park), however, a novel, 16S rRNA-defined lineage of the filamentous anoxygenic phototroph Chloroflexus (OTU 10, phylum Chloroflexi) occupies a much wider thermal niche than other 16S rRNA-defined groups of phototrophic bacteria. This suggests that Chloroflexus OTU 10 is either an ecological generalist or, alternatively, a group of cryptic thermal specialists which have recently diverged. To distinguish between these alternatives, we first isolated laboratory strains of Chloroflexus OTU 10 from along the White Creek temperature gradient. These strains are identical for partial gene sequences encoding the 16S rRNA and malonyl coenzyme A (CoA) reductase. However, strains isolated from upstream and downstream samples could be distinguished based on sequence variation at pcs, which encodes the propionyl-CoA synthase of the 3-hydroxypropionate pathway of carbon fixation used by the genus Chloroflexus. We next demonstrated that strains have diverged in temperature range for growth. Specifically, we obtained evidence for a positive correlation between thermal niche breadth and temperature optimum, with strains isolated from lower temperatures exhibiting greater thermal specialization than the most thermotolerant strain. The study has implications for our understanding of both the process of niche diversification of microorganisms and how diversity is organized in these hot spring communities.

Effect of plastic strain on the evolution of crystallographic texture in Zircaloy-2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ballinger, R.G. (Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (USA)); Lucas, G.E. (California Univ., Santa Barbara (USA)); Pelloux, R.M. (Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (USA). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering)

1984-09-01

The evolution of crystallographic texture during plastic deformation was investigated in Zircaloy-2 using X-ray and metallographic techniques. Inverse pole figures, the resolved fraction of basal poles, and the volume fraction of twinned material, were determined as a function of plastic strain for several strain paths and initial textures at 298 K and 623 K. Incremental transverse platic strain ratios (R) were measured as a function of plastic strain. Texture rotation occurs early in the deformation process, after as little as 1.5% plastic strain. For compressive plastic strains, the resolved fraction of basal poles increases in the direction parallel to the strain axis. For tensile plastic strains, the resolved fraction of basal poles decreases in the direction parallel to the strain axis. The rate of change of the resolved fraction of basal poles with plastic strain is a function of the initial resolved fraction of basal poles. The texture rotation can be explained by considering the operating of the principal tensile twinning systems, (10anti 12), .

Rheology of arc dacite lavas: experimental determination at low strain rates

Science.gov (United States)

Avard, Geoffroy; Whittington, Alan G.

2012-07-01

Andesitic-dacitic volcanoes exhibit a large variety of eruption styles, including explosive eruptions, endogenous and exogenous dome growth, and kilometer-long lava flows. The rheology of these lavas can be investigated through field observations of flow and dome morphology, but this approach integrates the properties of lava over a wide range of temperatures. Another approach is through laboratory experiments; however, previous studies have used higher shear stresses and strain rates than are appropriate to lava flows. We measured the apparent viscosity of several lavas from Santiaguito and Bezymianny volcanoes by uniaxial compression, between 1,109 and 1,315 K, at low shear stress (0.085 to 0.42 MPa), low strain rate (between 1.1 × 10-8 and 1.9 × 10-5 s-1), and up to 43.7 % total deformation. The results show a strong variability of the apparent viscosity between different samples, which can be ascribed to differences in initial porosity and crystallinity. Deformation occurs primarily by compaction, with some cracking and/or vesicle coalescence. Our experiments yield apparent viscosities more than 1 order of magnitude lower than predicted by models based on experiments at higher strain rates. At lava flow conditions, no evidence of a yield strength is observed, and the apparent viscosity is best approached by a strain rate- and temperature-dependent power law equation. The best fit for Santiaguito lava, for temperatures between 1,164 and 1,226 K and strain rates lower than 1.8 × 10-4 s-1, is log {η_{{app}}} = - 0.738 + 9.24 × {10^3}{/}T(K) - 0.654 \\cdot log dot{\\varepsilon } where η app is apparent viscosity and dot{\\varepsilon } is strain rate. This equation also reproduced 45 data for a sample from Bezymianny with a root mean square deviation of 0.19 log unit Pa s. Applying the rheological model to lava flow conditions at Santiaguito yields calculated apparent viscosities that are in reasonable agreement with field observations and suggests that

Integration of graphene sensor with electrochromic device on modulus-gradient polymer for instantaneous strain visualization

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Tingting; Zhong, Yujia; Tao, Dashuai; Li, Xinming; Zang, Xiaobei; Lin, Shuyuan; Jiang, Xin; Li, Zhihong; Zhu, Hongwei

2017-09-01

In nature, some animals change their deceptive coloration for camouflage, temperature preservation or communication. This astonishing function has inspired scientists to replicate the color changing abilities of animals with artificial skin. Recently, some studies have focused on the smart materials and devices with reversible color changing or light-emitting properties for instantaneous strain visualization. However, most of these works only show eye-detectable appearance change when subjected to large mechanical deformation (100%-500% strain), and conspicuous color change at small strain remains rarely explored. In the present study, we developed a user-interactive electronic skin with human-readable optical output by assembling a highly sensitive resistive strain sensor with a stretchable organic electrochromic device (ECD) together. We explored the substrate effect on the electromechanical behavior of graphene and designed a strategy of modulus-gradient structure to employ graphene as both the highly sensitive strain sensing element and the insensitive stretchable electrode of the ECD layer. Subtle strain (0-10%) was enough to evoke an obvious color change, and the RGB value of the color quantified the magnitude of the applied strain. Such high sensitivity to smaller strains (0-10%) with color changing capability will potentially enhance the function of wearable devices, robots and prosthetics in the future.

DFT calculations of strain and interface effects on electronic structures and magnetic properties of L10-FePt/Ag heterojunction of GMR applications

Science.gov (United States)

Pramchu, Sittichain; Jaroenjittichai, Atchara Punya; Laosiritaworn, Yongyut

2018-03-01

In this work, density functional theory (DFT) was employed to investigate the effect of strain and interface on electronic structures and magnetic properties of L10-FePt/Ag heterojunction. Two possible interface structures of L10-FePt(001)/Ag(001), that is, interface between Fe and Ag layers (Fe/Ag) and between Pt and Ag layers (Pt/Ag), were inspected. It was found that Pt/Ag interface is more stable than Fe/Ag interface due to its lower formation energy. Further, under the lattice mismatch induced tensile strain, the enhancement of magnetism for both Fe/Ag and Pt/Ag interface structures has been found to have progressed, though the magnetic moments of "interfacial" Fe and Pt atoms have been found to have decreased. To explain this further, the local density of states (LDOS) analysis suggests that interaction between Fe (Pt) and Ag near Fe/Ag (Pt/Ag) interface leads to spin symmetry breaking of the Ag atom and hence induces magnetism magnitude. In contrast, the magnetic moments of interfacial Fe and Pt atoms reduce because of the increase in the electronic states near the Fermi level of the minority-spin electrons. In addition, the significant enhancements of the LDOS near the Fermi levels of the minority-spin electrons signify the boosting of the transport properties of the minority-spin electrons and hence the spin-dependent electron transport at this ferromagnet/metal interface. From this work, it is expected that this clarification of the interfacial magnetism may inspire new innovation on how to improve spin-dependent electron transport for enhancing the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) ratio of potential GMR-based spintronic devices.

DFT calculations of strain and interface effects on electronic structures and magnetic properties of L10-FePt/Ag heterojunction of GMR applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sittichain Pramchu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this work, density functional theory (DFT was employed to investigate the effect of strain and interface on electronic structures and magnetic properties of L10-FePt/Ag heterojunction. Two possible interface structures of L10-FePt(001/Ag(001, that is, interface between Fe and Ag layers (Fe/Ag and between Pt and Ag layers (Pt/Ag, were inspected. It was found that Pt/Ag interface is more stable than Fe/Ag interface due to its lower formation energy. Further, under the lattice mismatch induced tensile strain, the enhancement of magnetism for both Fe/Ag and Pt/Ag interface structures has been found to have progressed, though the magnetic moments of “interfacial” Fe and Pt atoms have been found to have decreased. To explain this further, the local density of states (LDOS analysis suggests that interaction between Fe (Pt and Ag near Fe/Ag (Pt/Ag interface leads to spin symmetry breaking of the Ag atom and hence induces magnetism magnitude. In contrast, the magnetic moments of interfacial Fe and Pt atoms reduce because of the increase in the electronic states near the Fermi level of the minority-spin electrons. In addition, the significant enhancements of the LDOS near the Fermi levels of the minority-spin electrons signify the boosting of the transport properties of the minority-spin electrons and hence the spin-dependent electron transport at this ferromagnet/metal interface. From this work, it is expected that this clarification of the interfacial magnetism may inspire new innovation on how to improve spin-dependent electron transport for enhancing the giant magnetoresistance (GMR ratio of potential GMR-based spintronic devices.

Strain evolution in Si substrate due to implantation of MeV ion observed by extremely asymmetric x-ray diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emoto, T.; Ghatak, J.; Satyam, P. V.; Akimoto, K.

2009-01-01

We studied the strain introduced in a Si(111) substrate due to MeV ion implantation using extremely asymmetric x-ray diffraction and measured the rocking curves of asymmetrical 113 diffraction for the Si substrates implanted with a 1.5 MeV Au 2+ ion at fluence values of 1x10 13 , 5x10 13 , and 1x10 14 /cm 2 . The measured curves consisted of a bulk peak and accompanying subpeak with an interference fringe. The positional relationship of the bulk peak to the subpeak and the intensity variation of those peaks with respect to the wavelengths of the x rays indicated that crystal lattices near the surface were strained; the lattice spacing of surface normal (111) planes near the surface was larger than that of the bulk. Detailed strain profiles along the depth direction were successfully estimated using a curve-fitting method based on Darwin's dynamical diffraction theory. Comparing the shapes of resultant strain profiles, we found that a strain evolution rapidly occurred within a depth of ∼300 nm at fluence values between 1x10 13 and 5x10 13 /cm 2 . This indicates that formation of the complex defects progressed near the surface when the fluence value went beyond a critical value between 1x10 13 and 5x10 13 /cm 2 and the defects brought a large strain to the substrate.

Progress toward isolation of strains and genetically engineered strains of microalgae for production of biofuel and other value added chemicals: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, Ashmita; Khanra, Saumyakanti; Mondal, Madhumanti; Halder, Gopinath; Tiwari, O.N.; Saini, Supreet; Bhowmick, Tridib Kumar; Gayen, Kalyan

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Sample collection, isolation and identification to obtain a pure microalgal species. • Isolation of microalgal strains worldwide based on continent and habitat. • Genetic engineering tools for enhanced production of biodiesel and value added chemicals. • Cultivation systems for genetically modified strain. - Abstract: Microalgae and cyanobacteria are promising sources of biodiesel because of their high oil content (∼10 fold higher) and shorter cultivation time (∼4 fold lesser) than conventional oil producing territorial plants (e.g., soybean, corn and jatropha). These organisms also provide source of several valuable natural chemicals including pigments, food supplements like eicosapentanoic acid [EPA], decosahexaenoic acid [DHA] and vitamins. In addition, many cellular components of these organisms are associated with therapeutic properties like antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulating, and antiviral. Isolation and identification of high-yielding strains with the faster growth rate is the key for successful implementation of algal biodiesel (or other products) at a commercial level. A number of research groups in Europe, America, and Australia are thus extensively involved in exploration of novel microalgal strain. Further, genetic engineering provides a tool to engineer the native strain resulting in transgenic strain with higher yields. Despite these efforts, no consensus has yet been reached so far in zeroing on the best microalgal strain for sustainable production of biofuel at reasonable cost. The search for novel microalgal strain and transgenesis of microalgae, are continuing side by side with the hope of commercial scale production of microalgae biofuel in near future. However, no consolidated review report exists which guides to isolate and identify a uncontaminated microalgal strain along with their transgenesis. The present review is focused on: (i) key factors for sample collection, isolation, and identification to

Ceftriaxone and tetracycline effect on biofilm-formation strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. I. Sidashenko

2014-04-01

Full Text Available 122 strains of staphylococci were identified. Among the examined 122 clinical strains of staphylococci, 67 strains belonged to coagulase-positive, and 55 strains to the coagulase-negative ones. According to the study of physiological and biochemical properties, it was found that 37 strains (30.3% belonged to S. epidermidis species. One of the biological properties of many bacteria is the ability to film formation and these strains attract special attention, since it is known that the film antibiotic resistance is higher than in planktonic cultures. It was determined that 20 strains of those under study were film-forming, 17 strains – non-biofilm forming ones. The film was formed during three days, and settled to the bottom of the plate holes. The clinical (Cl strain of S. epidermidis was sensitive to ceftriaxone and tetracicline. The control (C strains of S. epidermidis were sensitive to ceftriaxone, tetracycline and sizomicine. The study of biofilm growth for 2, 3 and 4 days of incubation was carried out. The maximum rate of biofilm S. epidermidis C was observed during 2–3 days; there is the most intense increase of cells number from 5.2 × 108 CFU/ml, for S. epidermidis Cl to 5.6 × 108 CFU/ml. The effect of ceftriaxone and tetracycline on biofilm formation by 2 investigation strains of S. epidermidis was found. We determined differences in minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC for planktonic cultures and biofilm of strains under study. It was established that MIC antibiotics inhibited the growth of planktonic cultures on average 2 times lower compared to the MIC which inhibited the biofilm formation. MIC for planktonic culture of S. epidermidis Cl defined for ceftriaxone was equal to 10 mg/ml, and for tetracycline – 1 mg/ml. MIC of ceftriaxone for the control strain was equal to 12 mg/ml, MIC of tetracycline – 0.7 mg/ml. MIC values for dynamics biofilm formation of S. epidermidis Cl strain on the plater were as follows: to

The isolation, characterization and evaluation of Frankia strains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Normand, P.; Lalonde, M.; Fortin, J.A.; Chatarpaul, L.

1984-01-01

Osmium tetroxide (OsO/sub 4/) was used as the sterilizing agent to isolate the nitrogen-fixing endophyte Frankia from nodules of host plants. This treatment resulted in a pure culture collection of 250 Frankia isolates from several species of Alnus (crispa, rugosa, viridis, glutinosa, and serrulata) and from other actinorhizal species from Quebec. Frankia isolates from A. viridis and S. canadensis are reported in this document for the first time. Sugars from whole-cell hydrolysates of the organisms were analysed by gas liquid chromatography to identify strains previously screened on the basis of morphology and infectivity. This technique proved especially useful for those isolates whose morphology was atypical (ACN8, ArgN22, SCN9, and SCN10). It was demonstrated that sugar analysis (2-O-methy-D-mannose, in particular) can be important in resolving the taxonomy of Frankia. The nitrogen-fixing efficiency of some Frankia strains was evaluated by inoculating A. crispa. It was found that the efficiency of organisms was not influenced by the host from which they were first isolated. However, significant differences between some isolates of the same provenance occurred. It was also found that those strains of Frankia which do not sporulate were more effective in fixing nitrogen than those which do. It is proposed that the terms type P and type N be used to designate spore positive (Sp/sup +/) and spore negative (Sp/sup -/) Frankia strains, respectively. Further, it is recommended that sporulation type be used as a valid basis for species definition in the genus Frankia. 118 refs., 16 figs., 10 tabs.

Strain transients in the Gulf of Corinth (Greece)

Science.gov (United States)

Canitano, Alexandre; Bernard, Pascal; Linde, Alan; Sacks, Selwyn; Boudin, Frederick

2010-05-01

The Gulf of Corinth (Greece) is one of the most seismic regions in Europe, producing some earthquakes of magnitude greater than 5.8 in the last 35 years, 1 to 1.5 cm/yr of north-south extension, and frequent seismic swarms. This structure is a 110 km long, N110E oriented graben bounded by systems of very recent normal faults. This zone thus provides an ideal site for investigating in situ the physics of earthquake sources and for developing efficient seismic hazard reduction procedures. The Corinth Rift Laboratory (CRL) project is concentrated in the western part of the rift, around the city of Aigion, where instrumental seismicity and strain rate is highest. The CRL Network is made up about fifteen seismic stations as well as tiltmeters, strainmeters or GPS in order to study the local seismicity, and to observe and model the short and long term mechanics of the normal fault system. The instrumental seismicity in the Aigion zone clearly shows a strong concentration of small earthquakes between 5 and 10 km. In order to study slow transient deformation, two borehole strainmeters have been installed in the Gulf (Trizonia, Monasteraki). The strainmeter installed in the Trizonia island is continuously recording the horizontal strain at 150m depth with a resolution better than 10-9. The dominant signal is the earth and sea tidal effects (few 10-7 strain), this one is modulated by the mechanical effects of the free oscillations of the Gulf with periods between 8 and 40 min. The barometric pressure fluctuations acts in combination with the mean sea level variation at longer periods and both effects are not independant. The comparison between the strain data and the two forcing signals (sea-level, barometric pressure) shows clearly a non zero phase delay of the sea-level. The analysis of time correlations between the signals in differents frequency range exhibits that the sea level delay and the strainmeter/sea-level coupling coefficient are increasing with period (about 1/10

Radiation sensitivity of fibroblast strains from patients with Usher's syndrome, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and Huntington's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nove, J.; Little, J.B.; Tarone, R.E.; Robbins, J.H.

1987-01-01

The colony-forming ability of 10 normal human fibroblast cell strains and of 10 strains representing 3 degenerative diseases of either nerve or muscle cells was determined after exposure of the cells to X-rays or β-particles from tritiated water. Both methods of irradiation yielded similar comparative results. The fibroblast strains from the 5 Usher's syndrome patients and from 1 of the 2 Huntington's disease patients were hypersensitive to radiation, while those from the 3 Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients and the second Huntington's disease patient had normal sensitivity to radiation. These results indicate both disease-specific and strain-specific differences in the survival of fibroblasts after exposure to ionizing radiation. 38 refs.; 2 figs.; 3 tabs

Decolorization and degradation of daunomycin by bjerkandera adusta R59 strain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, N.S.; Belearz, A.; Ginalska, G.; Kornillowicz, K.; Cho, H.Y.; Ohga, S. [Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan)

2009-02-15

The ability of Bjerkandera adusta R59 strain to degrade anthraquinonic antibiotic (daunomycin) points on its possible aptitudes for decomposing of other anthraquinonic derivatives, e.g. lignocellulose subunits or metabolically related lipids, present in wood. This study was performed to investigate the possibility of B. adusta, R59 to synthesize enzymes participating in decay of wood compounds (including lignin, celluloses, hemicelluloses and lipids). Geotrichum-like strain, anamorphic stadium of B. adusta, white-rot. fungus, was isolated from soil. It was found to completely decolorize and degrade 10% daunomycin post-production effluent during 10 days of incubation at 26{sup o}C. R59 strain produces only small activities of lignolytic enzymes when grown on wheat straw or beech sawdust-containing media but in the presence of humic acids derived from brown coal synthesizes significant activities of laccase and lipase. This phenomenon was coupled with entering the idiophase by this fungus and appearance of aerial mycelium. The ability of B. adusta R59 strain to degrade humic acids from brown coal could be useful in constructing of new generation of biologically active filters for purification of humic acids-contaminated comestible waters.

Induction of pure and sectored mutant clones in excision-proficient and deficient strains of yeast.

Science.gov (United States)

Eckardt, F; Haynes, R H

1977-06-01

We have found that UV-induced mutation frequency in a forward non-selective assay system (scoring white adex ade2 double auxotroph mutants among the red pigmented ade2 clones) increases linearly with dose up to a maximum frequency of about 3 X 10(-3) mutants per survivor and then declines in both RAD wild-type and rad2 excision deficient strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mutation frequencies of the RAD and the rad2 strains plotted against survival are nearly identical over the entire survival range. On this basis we conclude that unexcised pyrimidine dimers are the predominant type of pre-mutational lesions in both strains. In the RAD wild-type strain pure mutant clones outnumber sectors in a 10:1 ratio at all doses used; in rad2 this ratio varies from 1:1 at low doses up to 10:1 at high doses. As others have concluded for wild-type strains we find also in the rad2 strain that pure clone formation cannot be accounted for quantitatively by lethal sectoring events alone. We conclude that heteroduplex repair is a crucial step in pure mutant clone formation and we examine the plausibility of certain macromolecular mechanisms according to which heteroduplex repair may be coupled with replication, repair and sister strand exchange in yeast mutagenesis.

Induction of pure and sectored mutant clones in excision-proficient and deficient strains of yeast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckardt, F.; Haynes, R.H.

1977-01-01

It was found that UV-induced mutation frequency in a forward non-selective assay system (scoring white adex ade2 double auxotroph mutants among the red pigmented ade2 clones) increases linearly with dose up to a maximum frequency of about 3 x 10 -3 mutants per survivor and then declines in both RAD wild-type and rad2 excision deficient strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mutation frequencies of the RAD and the rad2 strains plotted against survival are nearly identical over the entire survival range. On this basis it is concluded that unexcised pyrimidine dimers are the predominant type of pre-mutational lesions in both strains. In the RAD wild-type strain pure mutant clones outnumber sectors in a 10:1 ratio at all doses used; in rad2 this ratio varies from 1:1 at low doses up to 10:1 at high doses. In agreement with conclusions of others, it was also found that for wild-type strains in the rad2 strain pure clone formation cannot be accounted for quantitatively by lethal sectoring events alone. It is concluded that heteroduplex repair is a crucial step in pure mutant clone formation and the plausibility of certain macromolecular mechanisms according to which heteroduplex repair may be coupled with replication, repair and sister strand exchange in yeast mutagenesis is examined

Creep strain accumulation in a typical LMFBR piperun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnstone, T.L.

1975-01-01

The analysis described allows the strain concentrations in typical LMFBR two anchor point uniplanar piperuns to be calculated. Account is taken of the effect of pipe elbows in attracting creep strain to themselves as well as possible movements of the thrust line due to strain redistribution. The influence of the initial load conditions is also examined. The stress relaxation analysis is facilitated by making the assumption that a cross-sectional stress distribution determined by the asymptotic fully developed state of creep exists at all times. Use is then made of Hoff(s) analogy between materials with a creep law of the Norton type and those with a corresponding non-linear elastic stress strain law, to determine complementary strain energy rates for straight pipes and bends. Ovalisation of the latter produces an increased strain energy rate which can be simply calculated by comparison with an equal length of straight pipe through employing a creep flexibility factor due to Spence. Deflection rates at any location in the pipework can then be evaluated in terms of the thermal restraint forces at that location by an application of Castigliano's principle. In particular for an anchor point the deflection rates are identically zero and this leads to the generation of 3 simultaneous differential equations determining the relaxation of the anchor reactions. Indicative results are presented for the continuous relaxation at 570 deg C of the thermally induced stress in a planar approximation to a typical LMFBR pipe run chosen to have peak elbow stresses close to the code maximum. The results indicate a ratio, after 10 5 hours, of 3 for creep strain concentration relative to initial peak strain (calculated on the assumption of fully elastic behavior) in the most severely affected elbow, when either austenitic 316 or 321 creep properties are employed

A rapid colorimetric screening method for vanillic acid and vanillin-producing bacterial strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Zamzuri, N A; Abd-Aziz, S; Rahim, R A; Phang, L Y; Alitheen, N B; Maeda, T

2014-04-01

To isolate a bacterial strain capable of biotransforming ferulic acid, a major component of lignin, into vanillin and vanillic acid by a rapid colorimetric screening method. For the production of vanillin, a natural aroma compound, we attempted to isolate a potential strain using a simple screening method based on pH change resulting from the degradation of ferulic acid. The strain Pseudomonas sp. AZ10 UPM exhibited a significant result because of colour changes observed on the assay plate on day 1 with a high intensity of yellow colour. The biotransformation of ferulic acid into vanillic acid by the AZ10 strain provided the yield (Yp/s ) and productivity (Pr ) of 1·08 mg mg(-1) and 53·1 mg L(-1) h(-1) , respectively. In fact, new investigations regarding lignin degradation revealed that the strain was not able to produce vanillin and vanillic acid directly from lignin; however, partially digested lignin by mixed enzymatic treatment allowed the strain to produce 30·7 mg l(-1) and 1·94 mg l(-1) of vanillic acid and biovanillin, respectively. (i) The rapid colorimetric screening method allowed the isolation of a biovanillin producer using ferulic acid as the sole carbon source. (ii) Enzymatic treatment partially digested lignin, which could then be utilized by the strain to produce biovanillin and vanillic acid. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the use of a rapid colorimetric screening method for bacterial strains producing vanillin and vanillic acid from ferulic acid. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Patterned, highly stretchable and conductive nanofibrous PANI/PVDF strain sensors based on electrospinning and in situ polymerization

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Gui-Feng; Yan, Xu; Yu, Miao; Jia, Meng-Yang; Pan, Wei; He, Xiao-Xiao; Han, Wen-Peng; Zhang, Zhi-Ming; Yu, Liang-Min; Long, Yun-Ze

2016-01-01

A facile fabrication strategy via electrospinning and followed by in situ polymerization to fabricate a patterned, highly stretchable, and conductive polyaniline/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PANI/PVDF) nanofibrous membrane is reported. Owing to the patterned structure, the nanofibrous PANI/PVDF strain sensor can detect a strain up to 110%, for comparison, which is 2.6 times higher than the common nonwoven PANI/PVDF mat and much larger than the previously reported values (usually less than 15%). Meanwhile, the conductivity of the patterned strain sensor shows a linear response to the applied strain in a wide range from 0% to about 85%. Additionally, the patterned PANI/PVDF strain sensor can completely recover to its original electrical and mechanical values within a strain range of more than 22%, and exhibits good durability over 10 000 folding-unfolding tests. Furthermore, the strain sensor also can be used to detect finger motion. The results demonstrate promising application of the patterned nanofibrous membrane in flexible electronic fields.A facile fabrication strategy via electrospinning and followed by in situ polymerization to fabricate a patterned, highly stretchable, and conductive polyaniline/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PANI/PVDF) nanofibrous membrane is reported. Owing to the patterned structure, the nanofibrous PANI/PVDF strain sensor can detect a strain up to 110%, for comparison, which is 2.6 times higher than the common nonwoven PANI/PVDF mat and much larger than the previously reported values (usually less than 15%). Meanwhile, the conductivity of the patterned strain sensor shows a linear response to the applied strain in a wide range from 0% to about 85%. Additionally, the patterned PANI/PVDF strain sensor can completely recover to its original electrical and mechanical values within a strain range of more than 22%, and exhibits good durability over 10 000 folding-unfolding tests. Furthermore, the strain sensor also can be used to detect finger

[Effect of the 10 kb sequence of piscine Streptococcus agalactiae on bacterial virulence].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Guangjin; Zhu, Jielian; Shi, Ziwei; Ding, Ming; Wang, Ruyi; Yao, Huochun; Lu, Chengping; Xu, Pao

2016-01-04

From the previous comparative genomic analysis, we found a specific unknown 10 kb sequence (including 11 Open reading Frames) in Chinese piscine strain GD201008-001 genome. To study the role of 10 kb in the pathogenicity of piscine S. agalactiae, the 10 kb sequence was deleted from the GD201008-001 genome. The isogenic mutant Δ10 kb was constructed by using the temperature-sensitive Streptococcus-E. coli shuttle vector pSET4s. We compared the growth characteristics, adherence to HEp-2 cell and bacterial virulence in a zebrafish infection model between wild strain and mutant. Meanwhile the expressions of the known virulence genes from GD201008-001 and Δ10 kb were also quantified by real-time PCR. The Δ10 kb showed no significant differences in bacterial morphology and adherence to HEp-2 cells compared with the wild-type strain, but the speed of growth was slightly slower than the wild strain. Furthermore the 50% lethal dose of Δ10 kb was decreased up to 10-fold (P kb sequence of piscine Streptococcus agalactiae exerts a significant effect on bacterial virulence and probably regulates the virulence genes expression of GD20 1008-001.

Aging enhances the vulnerability of mesenchymal stromal cells to uniaxial tensile strain-induced apoptosis.

Science.gov (United States)

McKayed, Katey; Prendergast, Patrick J; Campbell, Veronica A

2016-02-08

Mechanical priming can be employed in tissue engineering strategies to control the fate and differentiation pattern of mesenchymal stromal cells. This is relevant to regenerative medicine whereby mechanical cues can promote the regeneration of a specific tissue type from mesenchymal precursors. The ability of cells to respond to mechanical forces is dependent upon mechanotransduction pathways that involve membrane-associated proteins, such as integrins. During the aging process changes in the mechanotransduction machinery may influence how cells from aged individuals respond to mechanical priming. In this study mesenchymal stromal cells were prepared from young adult and aged rats and exposed to uniaxial tensile strain at 5% and 10% for 3 days, or 2.5% for 7 days. Application of 5% tensile strain had no impact on cell viability. In contrast, application of 10% tensile strain evoked apoptosis and the strain-induced apoptosis was significantly higher in the mesenchymal stromal cells prepared from the aged rats. In parallel to the age-related difference in cellular responsiveness to strain, an age-related decrease in expression of α2 integrin and actin, and enhanced lipid peroxidation was observed. This study demonstrates that mesenchymal stem cells from aged animals have an altered membrane environment, are more vulnerable to the pro-apoptotic effects of 10% tensile strain and less responsive to the pro-osteogenic effects of 2.5% tensile strain. Thus, it is essential to consider how aged cells respond to mechanical stimuli in order to identify optimal mechanical priming strategies that minimise cell loss, particularly if this approach is to be applied to an aged population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anisotropic nature of radially strained metal tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Strickland, Julie N.

yield strength to calculate these ratings. I set out to characterize the anisotropic nature of swaged metal. As expected, the tensile tests showed a difference between the axial and transverse tensile strength. The correlation was 12% difference in yield strength in the axial and transverse directions for strained material and 9% in strained and aged material. This means that the strength of the metal in the hoop (transverse) direction is approximately 10% stronger than in the axial direction, because the metal was work hardened during the swaging process. Therefore, the metal is more likely to fail in axial tension than in burst or collapse. I presented the findings from the microstructure examination, standard tensile tests, and SEM data. All of this data supported the findings of the mini-tensile tests. This information will help engineers set burst and collapse ratings and allow material scientists to predict the anisotropic characteristics of swaged steel tubes.

Microstructurally Based Prediction of High Strain Failure Modes in Crystalline Solids

Science.gov (United States)

2016-07-05

interfaces in hcp– fcc systems subjected to high strain-rate deformation and fracture modes, Journal of Materials Research, (8 2015): 0. doi: 10.1557/jmr...rupture • Comparison and validation with experimental observations/ measurements • New dislocation-density crystalline plasticity that accounts for...relationships between coherent interfaces in hcp– fcc systems subjected to high strain-rate deformation and fracture modes, Journal of Materials Research, Vol. 30

Influence of stress, temperature, and strain on calcite twins constrained by deformation experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Rybacki, E.; Evans, B.; Janssen, C.; Wirth, R.; Dresen, G.

2013-08-01

A series of low-strain triaxial compression and high-strain torsion experiments were performed on marble and limestone samples to examine the influence of stress, temperature, and strain on the evolution of twin density, the percentage of grains with 1, 2, or 3 twin sets, and the twin width—all parameters that have been suggested as either paleopiezometers or paleothermometers. Cylindrical and dog-bone-shaped samples were deformed in the semibrittle regime between 20 °C and 350 °C, under confining pressures of 50-400 MPa, and at strain rates of 10- 4-10- 6 s- 1. The samples sustained shear stresses, τ, up to 280 MPa, failing when deformed to shear strains γ > 1. The mean width of calcite twins increased with both temperature and strain, and thus, measurement of twin width provides only a rough estimation of peak temperature, unless additional constraints on deformation are known. In Carrara marble, the twin density, NL (no of twins/mm), increased as the rock hardened with strain and was approximately related to the peak differential stress, σ (MPa), by the relation σ=19.5±9.8√{N}. Dislocation tangles occurred along twin boundaries, resulting in a complicated cell structure, which also evolved with stress. As previously established, the square root of dislocation density, observed after quench, also correlated with peak stress. Apparently, both twin density and dislocation cell structure are important state variables for describing the strength of these rocks.

Fabrication and characterization of aerosol-jet printed strain sensors for multifunctional composite structures

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Da; Liu, Tao; Zhang, Mei; Liang, Richard; Wang, Ben

2012-11-01

Traditional multifunctional composite structures are produced by embedding parasitic parts, such as foil sensors, optical fibers and bulky connectors. As a result, the mechanical properties of the composites, especially the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), could be largely undermined. In the present study, we demonstrated an innovative aerosol-jet printing technology for printing electronics inside composite structures without degrading the mechanical properties. Using the maskless fine feature deposition (below 10 μm) characteristics of this printing technology and a pre-cure protocol, strain sensors were successfully printed onto carbon fiber prepregs to enable fabricating composites with intrinsic sensing capabilities. The degree of pre-cure of the carbon fiber prepreg on which strain sensors were printed was demonstrated to be critical. Without pre-curing, the printed strain sensors were unable to remain intact due to the resin flow during curing. The resin flow-induced sensor deformation can be overcome by introducing 10% degree of cure of the prepreg. In this condition, the fabricated composites with printed strain sensors showed almost no mechanical degradation (short beam shearing ILSS) as compared to the control samples. Also, the failure modes examined by optical microscopy showed no difference. The resistance change of the printed strain sensors in the composite structures were measured under a cyclic loading and proved to be a reliable mean strain gauge factor of 2.2 ± 0.06, which is comparable to commercial foil metal strain gauge.

Detection in Japan of an equine-like G3P[8] reassortant rotavirus A strain that is highly homologous to European strains across all genome segments.

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuchi, Wakako; Nakagomi, Toyoko; Gauchan, Punita; Agbemabiese, Chantal Ama; Noguchi, Atsuko; Nakagomi, Osamu; Takahashi, Tsutomu

2018-03-01

Equine-like G3P[8] rotavirus A strains with DS-1-like backbone genes have emerged since 2013. An equine-like RVA/Human-wt/JPN/15R429/2015/G3P[8] strain possessing I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2 was detected in Japan in 2015. Its VP7 gene was ≥ 99.3% identical to those of equine-like G3P[4] strains detected in Japan, and the remaining 10 genes were 98.6-99.8% identical to G1P[8] double-gene reassortants detected in Japan, Thailand and the Philippines. Thus, 15R429 was likely generated through reassortment between the equine-like G3P[4] and G1P[8] reassortant strains. Notably, 15R429 was 98.5-99.8% identical across all 11 genes of the equine-like G3P[8] strains detected in Spain and Hungary in 2015.

Meta-analysis: Lactobacillus reuteri strain DSM 17938 (and the original strain ATCC 55730) for treating acute gastroenteritis in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Szajewska, H; Urbańska, M; Chmielewska, A; Weizman, Z; Shamir, R

2014-09-01

Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC 55730 has been shown to provide a moderate clinical effect in the treatment of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children. However, as the L. reuteri ATCC 55730 strain was found to carry potentially transferable resistance traits for tetracycline and lincomycin, it was replaced by a new strain, L. reuteri DSM 17938, without unwanted plasmid-borne antibiotic resistance. Bioequivalence of the two strains has been suggested. We aimed to systematically evaluate data on the effectiveness of L. reuteri DSM 17938 and the original strain, L. reuteri ATCC 55730, in the treatment of AGE in children. The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases, reference lists, and abstract books of major scientific meetings were searched in August 2013, with no language restrictions, for relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Two RCTs (n=196) that evaluated L. reuteri DSM 17938 and three RCTs (n=156) that evaluated L. reuteri ATCC 55730, which involved hospitalised children aged 3 to 60 months, met the inclusion criteria. Compared with placebo or no treatment, DSM 17938 significantly reduced the duration of diarrhoea (mean difference -32 h, 95% confidence interval (CI): -41 to -24) and increased the chance of cure on day 3 (relative risk: 3.5, 95% CI: 1.2 to 10.8, random effects model). Similar results were obtained with the original strain, L. reuteri ATCC 55730. In conclusion, in hospitalised children, use of both strains of L. reuteri reduced the duration of diarrhoea, and more children were cured within 3 days. Data from outpatients and countryspecific cost-effectiveness analyses are needed. Given the limited data and the methodological limitations of the included trials, the evidence should be viewed with caution.

Comparison of Thermal Creep Strain Calculation Results Using Time Hardening and Strain Hardening Rules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Junehyung; Cheon, Jinsik; Lee, Byoungoon; Lee, Chanbock

2014-01-01

One of the design criteria for the fuel rod in PGSFR is the thermal creep strain of the cladding, because the cladding is exposed to a high temperature for a long time during reactor operation period. In general, there are two kind of calculation scheme for thermal creep strain: time hardening and strain hardening rules. In this work, thermal creep strain calculation results for HT9 cladding by using time hardening and strain hardening rules are compared by employing KAERI's current metallic fuel performance analysis code, MACSIS. Also, thermal creep strain calculation results by using ANL's metallic fuel performance analysis code, LIFE-METAL which adopts strain hardening rule are compared with those by using MACSIS. Thermal creep strain calculation results for HT9 cladding by using time hardening and strain hardening rules were compared by employing KAERI's current metallic fuel performance analysis code, MACSIS. Also, thermal creep strain calculation results by using ANL's metallic fuel performance analysis code, LIFE-METAL which adopts strain hardening rule were compared with those by using MACSIS. Tertiary creep started earlier in time hardening rule than in strain hardening rule. Also, calculation results by MACSIS with strain hardening and those obtained by using LIFE-METAL were almost identical to each other

Limitations of Hollomon and Ludwigson stress-strain relations in assessing the strain hardening parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samuel, K G

2006-01-01

It is shown that the deviation from the ideal Hollomon relation in describing the stress-strain behaviour is characteristic of all materials at low strains. The Ludwigson relation describing the deviation from the Hollomon relation at low strains is critically analysed and it is shown that the deviation at low strains is a consequence of some unknown 'plastic strain equivalent' present in the material. Stress strain curves obeying an ideal Hollomon relation as well as that of a structurally modified (prior cold worked) material were simulated and compared. The results show that the yield strength and the flow strength of a material at constant strain rate and temperature are dictated by the magnitude of the 'plastic strain equivalent' term. It is shown that this component need not necessarily mean a prior plastic strain present in the material due to prior cold work alone and that prior cold work strain will add to this. If this component is identified, the stress-strain behaviour can be adequately described by the Swift relation. It is shown that in both formalisms, the strain hardening index is a function of the yield strength of the material

Complete genome sequence of Brachybacterium faecium type strain (Schefferle 6-10T)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lapidus, Alla; Pukall, Rudiger; LaButti, Kurt; Copeland, Alex; Glavina Del Rio, Tijana; Nolan, Matt; Chen, Feng; Lucas, Susan; Tice, Hope; Cheng, Jan-Fang; Bruce, David; Goodwin, Lynne; Pitluck, Sam; Rohde, Manfred; Goker, Markus; Pati, Amrita; Ivanova, Natalia; Mavrommatis, Konstantinos; Chen, Amy; Palaniappan, Krishna; D' haeseleer, Patrik; Chain, Patrick; Bristow, Jim; Eisen, Johnathan A.; Markowitz, Victor; Hugenholtz, Philip; Kyrpides, Nikos C.; Klenk, Hans-Peter

2009-05-20

Brachybacterium faecium Collins et al. 1988 is the type species of the genus, and is of phylogenetic interest because of its location in the Dermabacteraceae, a rather isolated family within the actinobacterial suborder Micrococcineae. B. faecium is known for its rod-coccus growth cycle and the ability to degrade uric acid. It grows aerobically or weakly anaerobically. The strain described in this report is a free-living, nonmotile, Gram-positive bacterium, originally isolated from poultry deep litter. Here we describe the features of this organism, together with the complete genome sequence, and annotation. This is the first complete genome sequence of a member of the actinobacterial family Dermabacteraceae, and the 3,614,992 bp long single replicon genome with its 3129 protein-coding and 69 RNA genes is part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.

Strained Silicon Photonics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ralf B. Wehrspohn

2012-05-01

Full Text Available A review of recent progress in the field of strained silicon photonics is presented. The application of strain to waveguide and photonic crystal structures can be used to alter the linear and nonlinear optical properties of these devices. Here, methods for the fabrication of strained devices are summarized and recent examples of linear and nonlinear optical devices are discussed. Furthermore, the relation between strain and the enhancement of the second order nonlinear susceptibility is investigated, which may enable the construction of optically active photonic devices made of silicon.

Benchmarking two commonly used Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for heterologous vanillin-β-glucoside production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomas Strucko

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a widely used eukaryotic model organism and a key cell factory for production of biofuels and wide range of chemicals. From the broad palette of available yeast strains, the most popular are those derived from laboratory strain S288c and the industrially relevant CEN.PK strain series. Importantly, in recent years these two strains have been subjected to comparative “-omics” analyzes pointing out significant genotypic and phenotypic differences. It is therefore possible that the two strains differ significantly with respect to their potential as cell factories for production of specific compounds. To examine this possibility, we have reconstructed a de novo vanillin-β-glucoside pathway in an identical manner in S288c and CEN.PK strains. Characterization of the two resulting strains in two standard conditions revealed that the S288c background strain produced up to 10-fold higher amounts of vanillin-β-glucoside compared to CEN.PK. This study demonstrates that yeast strain background may play a major role in the outcome of newly developed cell factories for production of a given product. Keywords: Yeast, Cell factory, Strain choice, Heterologous production, Vanillin-glucoside, Shikimate pathway

Inaccuracy of a physical strain trainer for the monitoring of partial weight bearing.

Science.gov (United States)

Pauser, Johannes; Jendrissek, Andreas; Swoboda, Bernd; Gelse, Kolja; Carl, Hans-Dieter

2011-11-01

To investigate the use of a physical strain trainer for the monitoring of partial weight bearing. Case series with healthy volunteers. Orthopedic clinic. Healthy volunteers (N=10) with no history of foot complaints. Volunteers were taught to limit weight bearing to 10% body weight (BW) and 50% BW, monitored by a physical strain trainer. The parameters peak pressure, maximum force, force-time integral, and pressure-time integral were assessed by dynamic pedobarography when volunteers walked with full BW (condition 1), 50% BW (condition 2), and 10% BW (condition 3). With 10% BW (condition 3), forces with normative gait (condition 1) were statistically significantly reduced under the hindfoot where the physical strain trainer is placed. All pedobarographic parameters were, however, exceeded when the total foot was measured. A limitation to 10% BW with the physical strain trainer (condition 3) was equal to a bisection of peak pressure and maximum force for the total foot with normative gait (condition 1). Halved BW (condition 2) left a remaining mean 82% of peak pressure and mean 59% of maximum force from full BW (condition 1). The concept of controlling partial weight bearing with the hindfoot-addressing device does not represent complete foot loading. Such devices may be preferably applied in cases when the hindfoot in particular must be off-loaded. Other training devices (eg, biofeedback soles) that monitor forces of the total foot have to be used to control partial weight bearing of the lower limb accurately. Copyright © 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differential growth of Mycobacterium leprae strains (SNP genotypes) in armadillos.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Rahul; Singh, Pushpendra; Pena, Maria; Subramanian, Ramesh; Chouljenko, Vladmir; Kim, Joohyun; Kim, Nayong; Caskey, John; Baudena, Marie A; Adams, Linda B; Truman, Richard W

2018-04-14

Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) has occurred throughout human history, and persists today at a low prevalence in most populations. Caused by Mycobacterium leprae, the infection primarily involves the skin, mucosa and peripheral nerves. The susceptible host range for Mycobacterium leprae is quite narrow. Besides humans, nine banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) and red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) are the only other natural hosts for M. leprae, but only armadillos recapitulate the disease as seen in humans. Armadillos across the Southern United States harbor a single predominant genotypic strain (SNP Type-3I) of M. leprae, which is also implicated in the zoonotic transmission of leprosy. We investigated, whether the zoonotic strain (3I) has any notable growth advantages in armadillos over another genetically distant strain-type (SNP Type-4P) of M. leprae, and if M. leprae strains manifest any notably different pathology among armadillos. We co-infected armadillos (n = 6) with 2 × 10 9 highly viable M. leprae of both strains and assessed the relative growth and dissemination of each strain in the animals. We also analyzed 12 additional armadillos, 6 each individually infected with the same quantity of either strain. The infections were allowed to fulminate and the clinical manifestations of the disease were noted. Animals were humanely sacrificed at the terminal stage of infection and the number of bacilli per gram of liver, spleen and lymph node tissue were enumerated by Q-PCR assay. The growth of M. leprae strain 4P was significantly higher (P leprae strains within armadillos suggest there are notable pathological variations between M. leprae strain-types. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Selection and evaluation of Malaysian Bacillus spp. strains as potential probiotics in cultured tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus).

Science.gov (United States)

Yasin, Ina-salwany Md; Razak, Nabilah Fatin; Natrah, F M I; Harmin, Sharr Azni

2016-07-01

A total of 58 Gram-positive bacteria strains were isolated from the marine environment and screened for potential probiotics for disease prevention and improving the productivity of tiger grouper Epinephelus fuscoguttatus larvae and juveniles. The bacteria were identified as Bacillus licheniformis, B. subtilis, B. circulans, B. sphaericus, B. cereus, Brevibacillus brevis, Corynebacterium propinquum, Leifsonia aquatica and Paenibacillus macerans. Only 24 strains showed antagonistic activities against four pathogenic strains; Vibrio alginolyticus, V. harveyi, V. parahaemolyticus and Aeromonas hydrophila, where two of the Bacillus strains, B12 and B45 demonstrated intermediate to highest level of inhibitory activity against these pathogenic strains, respectively. Further assessment by co-culture assay showed that Bacillus strain B12 exhibited a total inhibition of V. alginolyticus, while B45 strain displayed no inhibitory activity. Mixed culture of Bacillus B12 and B45 strains to outcompete V. alginolyticus was observed at a cell density of 10(7) CFU ml(-1). Molecular identification and phylogenetic tree analysis have categorized Bacillus strain B12 to the reference strains GQ340480 and JX290193 of? B. amyloliquafaciens, and Bacillus strain B45 with a reference strain JF496522 of B. subtilis. Safety tests of probionts by intraperitoneal administration of B12 and B45 strains at cell densities of 103, 105 and 10(7) CFU ml(-1) revealed no abnormalities and cent percent survival for healthy Epinephelus fuscoguttatus juveniles within 15 days of experimental period. Overall, the study revealed that Bacillus B12 strain possesses tremendous probiotic potential that could be used as a feed supplement in tiger grouper diets. ?

Linezolid susceptibility in Helicobacter pylori, including strains with multidrug resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyanova, Lyudmila; Evstatiev, Ivailo; Gergova, Galina; Yaneva, Penka; Mitov, Ivan

2015-12-01

Only a few studies have evaluated Helicobacter pylori susceptibility to linezolid. The aim of the present study was to assess linezolid susceptibility in H. pylori, including strains with double/multidrug resistance. The susceptibility of 53 H. pylori strains was evaluated by Etest and a breakpoint susceptibility testing method. Helicobacter pylori resistance rates were as follows: amoxicillin, 1.9%; metronidazole, 37.7%; clarithromycin, 17.0%; tetracycline, 1.9%; levofloxacin, 24.5%; and linezolid (>4 mg/L), 39.6%. The linezolid MIC50 value was 31.2-fold higher than that of clarithromycin and 10.5-fold higher than that of levofloxacin; however, 4 of 11 strains with double/multidrug resistance were linezolid-susceptible. The MIC range of the oxazolidinone agent was larger (0.125-64 mg/L) compared with those in the previous two reports. The linezolid resistance rate was 2.2-fold higher in metronidazole-resistant strains and in strains resistant to at least one antibiotic compared with the remaining strains. Briefly, linezolid was less active against H. pylori compared with clarithromycin and levofloxacin, and linezolid resistance was linked to resistance to metronidazole as well as to resistance to at least one antibiotic. However, linezolid activity against some strains with double/multidrug resistance may render the agent appropriate to treat some associated H. pylori infections following in vitro susceptibility testing of the strains. Clinical trials are required to confirm this suggestion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

The effect of plastic strain on the evolution of crystallographic texture in Zircaloy-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballinger, R.G.; Lucas, G.E.; Pelloux, R.M.

1984-01-01

The evolution of crystallographic texture during plastic deformation was investigated in Zircaloy-2 using X-ray and metallographic techniques. Inverse pole figures, the resolved fraction of basal poles, and the volume fraction of twinned material, were determined as a function of plastic strain for several strain paths and initial textures at 298 K and 623 K. Incremental transverse platic strain ratios (R) were measured as a function of plastic strain. Texture rotation occurs early in the deformation process, after as little as 1.5% plastic strain. For compressive plastic strains, the resolved fraction of basal poles increases in the direction parallel to the strain axis. For tensile plastic strains, the resolved fraction of basal poles decreases in the direction parallel to the strain axis. The rate of change of the resolved fraction of basal poles with plastic strain is a function of the initial resolved fraction of basal poles. The texture rotation can be explained by considering the operating of the principal tensile twinning systems, [10anti 12], . (orig.)

Amerindian Helicobacter pylori strains go extinct, as european strains expand their host range.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria G Domínguez-Bello

Full Text Available We studied the diversity of bacteria and host in the H. pylori-human model. The human indigenous bacterium H. pylori diverged along with humans, into African, European, Asian and Amerindian groups. Of these, Amerindians have the least genetic diversity. Since niche diversity widens the sets of resources for colonizing species, we predicted that the Amerindian H. pylori strains would be the least diverse. We analyzed the multilocus sequence (7 housekeeping genes of 131 strains: 19 cultured from Africans, 36 from Spanish, 11 from Koreans, 43 from Amerindians and 22 from South American Mestizos. We found that all strains that had been cultured from Africans were African strains (hpAfrica1, all from Spanish were European (hpEurope and all from Koreans were hspEAsia but that Amerindians and Mestizos carried mixed strains: hspAmerind and hpEurope strains had been cultured from Amerindians and hpEurope and hpAfrica1 were cultured from Mestizos. The least genetically diverse H. pylori strains were hspAmerind. Strains hpEurope were the most diverse and showed remarkable multilocus sequence mosaicism (indicating recombination. The lower genetic structure in hpEurope strains is consistent with colonization of a diversity of hosts. If diversity is important for the success of H. pylori, then the low diversity of Amerindian strains might be linked to their apparent tendency to disappear. This suggests that Amerindian strains may lack the needed diversity to survive the diversity brought by non-Amerindian hosts.

Comparative genomic characterization of citrus-associated Xylella fastidiosa strains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nunes Luiz R

2007-12-01

identified ORFs, obtained by SSH, represent an approximately 10% increase in our current knowledge of the South American Xf gene pool and include new putative virulence factors, as well as novel potential markers for strain identification. Surprisingly, this list of novel elements include sequences previously believed to be unique to North American strains, pointing to the necessity of revising the list of specific markers that may be used for identification of distinct Xf strains.

Isolation and characterization of styrene metabolism genes from styrene-assimilating soil bacteria Rhodococcus sp. ST-5 and ST-10.

Science.gov (United States)

Toda, Hiroshi; Itoh, Nobuya

2012-01-01

Styrene metabolism genes were isolated from styrene-assimilating bacteria Rhodococcus sp. ST-5 and ST-10. Strain ST-5 had a gene cluster containing four open reading frames which encoded styrene degradation enzymes. The genes showed high similarity to styABCD of Pseudomonas sp. Y2. On the other hand, strain ST-10 had only two genes which encoded styrene monooxygenase and flavin oxidoreductase (styAB). Escherichia coli transformants possessing the sty genes of strains ST-5 and ST-10 produced (S)-styrene oxide from styrene, indicating that these genes function as styrene degradation enzymes. Metabolite analysis by resting-cell reaction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that strain ST-5 converts styrene to phenylacetaldehyde via styrene oxide by styrene oxide isomerase (styC) reaction. On the other hand, strain ST-10 lacked this enzyme, and thus accumulated styrene oxide as an intermediate. HPLC analysis showed that styrene oxide was spontaneously isomerized to phenylacetaldehyde by chemical reaction. The produced phenylacetaldehyde was converted to phenylacetic acid (PAA) in strain ST-10 as well as in strain ST-5. Furthermore, phenylacetic acid was converted to phenylacetyl-CoA by the catalysis of phenylacetate-CoA ligase in strains ST-5 and ST-10. This study proposes possible styrene metabolism pathways in Rhodococcus sp. strains ST-5 and ST-10. Copyright © 2011 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hoof position during limb loading affects dorsoproximal bone strains on the equine proximal phalanx.

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Ellen; Garcia, Tanya; Stover, Susan

2015-07-16

Sagittal fractures of the proximal phalanx (P1) in the racehorse appear to be associated with turf racing surfaces, which are known to restrict forward slide of the foot at impact. We hypothesized that restriction of forward foot slip would result in higher P1 bone strains during metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) hyperextension. Unilateral limbs from six equine cadavers were instrumented with strain gauges and bone reference markers to measure dorsoproximal P1 bone strains and MCPJ extension, collateromotion and axial rotation during in vitro limb loading to 10,500 N. By limiting movement of the distal actuator platform, three different foot conditions (forward, free, and restricted) were applied in a randomised block design. Bone reference markers, recorded by video, were analyzed to determine motion of P1 relative to MC3. Rosette strain data were reduced to principal and shear magnitudes and directions. A mixed model ANOVA determined the effect of foot position on P1 bone strains and MCPJ angles. At 10,000 N load, the restricted condition resulted in higher P1 axial compressive (p=0.015), maximum shear (p=0.043) and engineering shear (p=0.046) strains compared to the forward condition. The restricted condition had higher compressive (p=0.025) and lower tensile (p=0.043) principal strains compared to the free condition. For the same magnitude of principal or shear strains, axial rotation and collateromotion angles were greatest for the restricted condition. Therefore, the increase in P1 principal compressive and shear bone strains associated with restricted foot slip indicate that alterations in foot:ground interaction may play a role in fracture occurrence in horses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The mutant strain of ZHJ6 degrading organophosphorous pesticide by 60Co-γ irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Renbang; Chi Jian; He Yi

2013-01-01

The strain of Penicillium oxalicum ZHJ6 that can degrade methamidophos was employed to obtain the mutant stain which has higher degradation rate than original strain by 60 Co-γ irradiation. Results showed that the Penicillium oxalicum ZHJ6 was sensitive to 60 Co-γ irradiation, and was easy to be killed by 60 Co-γ irradiation. Under the absorbed dose of 2.1 kGy, the survival rate of the strain was 0.04%. Two strains of A17 and A18 were obtained from the irradiated strains after first- and second- screening and the degradation rate of methamidophos of A17 and A18 strains were 10% higher than that of A0 strain (original stain). Moreover, the abilities to degrade folimat, phoxim and glyphosate were improved. Through 5 generations, the variation coefficient in degradation rate of methamidophos in the 6th day was 1.2%, showing that the new strains had hereditary stability. (authors)

Cell surface groups of two picocyanobacteria strains studied by zeta potential investigations, potentiometric titration, and infrared spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dittrich, Maria; Sibler, Sabine

2005-06-15

In order to clarify the role of picocyanobacteria in aquatic biogeochemical processes (e.g., calcite precipitation), cell surface properties need to be investigated. An experimental study of the cell surface characteristics of two Synechococcus-type unicellular autotrophic picocyanobacterial strains was carried out. One strain was isolated from Lake Plon and contained phycocyanin, the other strain came from Lago Maggiore and was rich in phycoerythrin. Potentiometric titrations were conducted to determine the different types of sites present on the bacteria cell walls. Infrared spectroscopy allowed characterization of the various functional groups (RNH(2), RCOOH, ROH, RPO(2)) and investigations of zeta potential provided insight into the isoelectrical points of the strains. Titrations reveal three distinct sites on the bacterial surfaces of phycocyanin- and phycoerythrin-rich strains with pK values of 4.8+/-0.3/5.0+/-0.2, 6.6+/-0.2/6.7+/-0.4, and 8.8+/-0.1/8.7+/-0.2, corresponding to carboxyl, phosphate, and amine groups with surface densities of 2.6+/-0.4/7.4+/-1.6 x 10(-4), 1.9+/-0.5/4.4+/-0.8 x 10(-4), and 2.5+/-0.4/4.8+/-0.7 x 10(-4) mol/g of dry bacteria. The deprotonation constants are similar to those of bacterial strains and site densities are also within an order of magnitude of other strains. The phycoerythrin-rich strain had a higher number of binding sites than the phycocyanin-rich strain. The results showed that picocyanobacteria may adsorb either calcium cations or carbonate anions and therefore strongly influence the biogeochemical cycling of calcite in pelagic systems.

Isolation and characterization of two novel ethanol-tolerant facultative-anaerobic thermophilic bacteria strains from waste compost.

Science.gov (United States)

Fong, Jiunn C N; Svenson, Charles J; Nakasugi, Kenlee; Leong, Caine T C; Bowman, John P; Chen, Betty; Glenn, Dianne R; Neilan, Brett A; Rogers, Peter L

2006-10-01

In a search for potential ethanologens, waste compost was screened for ethanol-tolerant thermophilic microorganisms. Two thermophilic bacterial strains, M5EXG and M10EXG, with tolerance of 5 and 10% (v/v) ethanol, respectively, were isolated. Both isolates are facultative anaerobic, non-spore forming, non-motile, catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, Gram-negative rods that are capable of utilizing a range of carbon sources including arabinose, galactose, mannose, glucose and xylose and produce low amounts of ethanol, acetate and lactate. Growth of both isolates was observed in fully defined minimal media within the temperature range 50-80 degrees C and pH 6.0-8.0. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rDNA sequences revealed that both isolates clustered with members of subgroup 5 of the genus Bacillus. G+C contents and DNA-DNA relatedness of M5EXG and M10EXG revealed that they are strains belonging to Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius. However, physiological and biochemical differences were evident when isolates M5EXG and M10EXG were compared with G. thermoglucosidasius type strain (DSM 2542(T)). The new thermophilic, ethanol-tolerant strains of G. thermoglucosidasius may be candidates for ethanol production at elevated temperatures.

Effects of strain rate, stress condition and environment on iodine embrittlement of Ziracloy-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Une, K.

1979-01-01

Iodine stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility of Zircaloy became higher with decreasing strain rate. Critical strain rate, below which high SCC severity was observed, substantially depended on Zircaloy stress condition. This strain rate (7 x 10 -3 min -1 ) under plane strain condition was about 3.5 times as fast as that (2 x 10 -3 min -1 ) under uniaxial condition. The maximum iodine embrittlement in Zircaloy was found in stress ratio α (axial/tangential stress) range of 0.5 to 0.7. No embrittlement occurred at α = infinity because of its texture effect. The SCC fracture stresses were about 39 kg/mm 2 for unirradiated and stress-relieved material, and about 34 kg/mm 2 for recrystallized material, whose ratios to yield strength of each material were 0.8 and 1.2. Impurity gases of oxygen and moisture in the iodine had the effects of reducing Zircaloy SCC susceptibility. Stress-relieved material was more sensitive to environmental impurities than recrystallized material

High strain rates spallation phenomena with relation to the equation of state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dekel, E.

1997-11-01

Theoretical spall strength, defined as the stress needed to separate a material along a plane surface instantaneously, is one order of magnitude larger then the measured spell strength at strain rates up to 10 6 s -1 . The discrepancy is explained by material initial flaws and cavities which grow and coalesce under stress and weaken the material. Measurements of spall strength of materials shocked by a high power laser shows a rapid increase in the spall strength with the strain rate at strain rates of about 10 7 s -1 . This indicates that the initial flaws does not have time to coalesce and the interatomic forces become dominant. In order to break the material more cavities must be created. This cavities are characterized by the interatomic forces and are created statistically: material under tensile stress is in a metastable condition and due to thermal fluctuations cavities are formed. Cavities larger than a certain critical size grow due to the stress. They grow until the material disintegrates at the spall plane. The theoretical results predict the increase in spall strength at high strain rates, as observed experimentally. (authors)

Strain-dependent characterization of electrode and polymer network of electrically activated polymer actuators

Science.gov (United States)

Töpper, Tino; Osmani, Bekim; Weiss, Florian M.; Winterhalter, Carla; Wohlfender, Fabian; Leung, Vanessa; Müller, Bert

2015-04-01

Fecal incontinence describes the involuntary loss of bowel content and affects about 45 % of retirement home residents and overall more than 12 % of the adult population. Artificial sphincter implants for treating incontinence are currently based on mechanical systems with failure rates resulting in revision after three to five years. To overcome this drawback, artificial muscle sphincters based on bio-mimetic electro-active polymer (EAP) actuators are under development. Such implants require polymer films that are nanometer-thin, allowing actuation below 24 V, and electrodes that are stretchable, remaining conductive at strains of about 10 %. Strain-dependent resistivity measurements reveal an enhanced conductivity of 10 nm compared to 30 nm sputtered Au on silicone for strains higher than 5 %. Thus, strain-dependent morphology characterization with optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy could demonstrate these phenomena. Cantilever bending measurements are utilized to determine elastic/viscoelastic properties of the EAP films as well as their long-term actuation behavior. Controlling these properties enables the adjustment of growth parameters of nanometer-thin EAP actuators.

Bioaccessible Antioxidants in Milk Fermented by Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum Strains

Science.gov (United States)

Gagnon, Mérilie; Savard, Patricia; Rivière, Audrey; LaPointe, Gisèle

2015-01-01

Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum is among the dominant species of the human gastrointestinal microbiota and could thus have potential as probiotics. New targets such as antioxidant properties have interest for beneficial effects on health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the bioaccessibility of antioxidants in milk fermented by selected B. longum subsp. longum strains during in vitro dynamic digestion. The antioxidant capacity of cell extracts from 38 strains, of which 32 belong to B. longum subsp. longum, was evaluated with the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) method. On the basis of screening and gene sequence typing by multilocus locus sequence analysis (MLSA), five strains were chosen for fermenting reconstituted skim milk. Antioxidant capacity varied among the strains tested (P = 0.0009). Two strains of B. longum subsp. longum (CUETM 172 and 171) showed significantly higher ORAC values than the other bifidobacteria strains. However, there does not appear to be a relationship between gene sequence types and antioxidant capacity. The milk fermented by each of the five strains selected (CUETM 268, 172, 245, 247, or PRO 16-10) did not have higher initial ORAC values compared to the nonfermented milk samples. However, higher bioaccessibility of antioxidants in fermented milk (175–358%) was observed during digestion. PMID:25802836

Strain modulations as a mechanism to reduce stress relaxation in laryngeal tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Eric J; Siegmund, Thomas; Chan, Roger W

2014-01-01

Vocal fold tissues in animal and human species undergo deformation processes at several types of loading rates: a slow strain involved in vocal fold posturing (on the order of 1 Hz or so), cyclic and faster posturing often found in speech tasks or vocal embellishment (1-10 Hz), and shear strain associated with vocal fold vibration during phonation (100 Hz and higher). Relevant to these deformation patterns are the viscous properties of laryngeal tissues, which exhibit non-linear stress relaxation and recovery. In the current study, a large strain time-dependent constitutive model of human vocal fold tissue is used to investigate effects of phonatory posturing cyclic strain in the range of 1 Hz to 10 Hz. Tissue data for two subjects are considered and used to contrast the potential effects of age. Results suggest that modulation frequency and extent (amplitude), as well as the amount of vocal fold overall strain, all affect the change in stress relaxation with modulation added. Generally, the vocal fold cover reduces the rate of relaxation while the opposite is true for the vocal ligament. Further, higher modulation frequencies appear to reduce the rate of relaxation, primarily affecting the ligament. The potential benefits of cyclic strain, often found in vibrato (around 5 Hz modulation) and intonational inflection, are discussed in terms of vocal effort and vocal pitch maintenance. Additionally, elderly tissue appears to not exhibit these benefits to modulation. The exacerbating effect such modulations may have on certain voice disorders, such as muscle tension dysphonia, are explored.

Strain modulations as a mechanism to reduce stress relaxation in laryngeal tissues.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric J Hunter

Full Text Available Vocal fold tissues in animal and human species undergo deformation processes at several types of loading rates: a slow strain involved in vocal fold posturing (on the order of 1 Hz or so, cyclic and faster posturing often found in speech tasks or vocal embellishment (1-10 Hz, and shear strain associated with vocal fold vibration during phonation (100 Hz and higher. Relevant to these deformation patterns are the viscous properties of laryngeal tissues, which exhibit non-linear stress relaxation and recovery. In the current study, a large strain time-dependent constitutive model of human vocal fold tissue is used to investigate effects of phonatory posturing cyclic strain in the range of 1 Hz to 10 Hz. Tissue data for two subjects are considered and used to contrast the potential effects of age. Results suggest that modulation frequency and extent (amplitude, as well as the amount of vocal fold overall strain, all affect the change in stress relaxation with modulation added. Generally, the vocal fold cover reduces the rate of relaxation while the opposite is true for the vocal ligament. Further, higher modulation frequencies appear to reduce the rate of relaxation, primarily affecting the ligament. The potential benefits of cyclic strain, often found in vibrato (around 5 Hz modulation and intonational inflection, are discussed in terms of vocal effort and vocal pitch maintenance. Additionally, elderly tissue appears to not exhibit these benefits to modulation. The exacerbating effect such modulations may have on certain voice disorders, such as muscle tension dysphonia, are explored.

Effect of strain rate on the mechanical properties of magnesium alloy AMX602

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, J. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223-0001 (United States); Kondoh, K. [Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University, 11-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaragi, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Jones, T.L. [WMRD, US Army Research Laboratory, 4600 Deer Creek Loop, MD 21005-5069 (United States); Mathaudhu, S.N. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521 (United States); Kecskes, L.J. [WMRD, US Army Research Laboratory, 4600 Deer Creek Loop, MD 21005-5069 (United States); Wei, Q., E-mail: qwei@uncc.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223-0001 (United States)

2016-01-01

In the present work, the effect of strain rate on the mechanical properties, particularly the plastic deformation behavior of a magnesium alloy, AMX602 (Mg–6%Al–0.5%Mn–2%Ca; all wt%), fabricated by powder metallurgy, has been investigated under both quasi-static (strain rate 1×10{sup −3} s{sup −1}) and dynamic (strain rate 4×10{sup 3} s{sup −1}) compressive loading. The alloyed powder was extruded at three different temperatures. The microstructure of the alloy was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was found that AMX602 exhibits an impressive mechanical behavior but with a slight anisotropy along different directions in both strength and compressive ductility (or malleability). The strength was found to be nearly independent of the extrusion temperature, particularly, under dynamic loading. Nanoindentation strain rate jump test reveals a strain rate sensitivity of ~0.018 to ~0.015, depending on the extrusion temperature. Sub-micrometer-scale particles of the intermetallic compound Al{sub 2}Ca were found with sizes ranging from ~100 nm to ~1.0 μm. These intermetallic particles are believed to have precipitated out during the extrusion process. They contribute to the formation of the ultrafine equiaxed grains which, in turn, help to improve the strength of the alloy by acting as barriers to dislocation motion. Adiabatic shear bands (ASBs) were observed in the dynamically loaded samples, the propagation of which eventually leads to final fracture of the specimens.

Evaluation of the effects of strain rate on material properties of the high strength concrete used in nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawaguchi, Shohei; Shirai, Koji; Takayanagi, Hideaki

2011-01-01

Concrete physical properties (compressive strength, tensile strength, initial elastic modulus and maximum strain) affected by strain rate weren't fully utilize for material model in dynamic response analysis for seismic and impact load because of few reports and various difficulties of impact tests. Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) methods are the most popular high-speed material testing and were also applied for composite material. We applied SHPB for concrete specimen and reported the strain rate effect to the concrete physical property. We used hydraulic testing device for 10 -5 /s to 10 0 /s strain rate and SHPB methods for over 10 1 /s. Four cases of concrete tests (high (50MPa at 28days)/low (35MPa at 28days) compressive strength (based on the test of exiting nuclear power facilities) and dry/wet condition) were done. And we formulated strain rate effect about compressive strength and initial elastic modulus from comparing with previous studies. (author)

Optical investigation of strain in Si-doped GaN films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez-Paramo, J.; Calleja, J. M.; Sanchez-Garcia, M. A.; Calleja, E.

2001-01-01

The effects of Si doping on the growth mode and residual strain of GaN layers grown on Si(111) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy are studied by Raman scattering and photoluminescence. As the Si concentration increases a progressive decrease of the high-energy E 2 mode frequency is observed, together with a redshift of the excitonic emission. Both effects indicate an enhancement of the biaxial tensile strain of thermal origin for increasing doping level, which is confirmed by x-ray diffraction measurements. Beyond Si concentrations of 5x10 18 cm -3 both the phonon frequency and the exciton emission energy increase again. This change indicates a partial strain relaxation due to a change in the growth mode. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

Ocorrência de linhagens de Pseudomonas aeruginosa cloro resistentes em águas de diferentes origens - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v29i3.488 Ocurrence of chlorine resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from different water sources - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v29i3.488

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulrich Vasconcelos

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Pseudomonas aeruginosa é conhecida por sua versatilidade metabólica e extrema capacidade de adaptação a diferentes ambientes, inclusive aquáticos. Para desinfecção de águas, o cloro e agentes que contêm cloro continuam sendo os mais usados no mundo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a resistência ao cloro de linhagens de P. aeruginosa, isoladas de amostras de águas de diversos ambientes. Foram testados diferentes tempos de contato (1, 5, 10, 20, 30 e 40 minutos e soluções aquosas de cloro, com concentrações definidas com base na legislação vigente no país para água potável: 0,5; 1,0 e 2,0 ppm. O teste de resistência ao cloro foi desenvolvido por meio da exposição direta das bactérias às soluções. Os resultados revelaram que P. aeruginosa, isoladas de diferentes fontes de água, têm a habilidade de sobreviver a diferentes concentrações de cloro. Na concentração de 1 ppm, a maioria das linhagens não foi inibida. As linhagens mais resistentes ao cloro também apresentaram relação de multirresistência à maioria dos antibióticos testados.The nutritional versatility and the adaptability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to different environments, including water, are well known. Chlorine and other chlorine agents are used as water disinfecting all around the world. The aim of this work was to evaluate the possible chlorine resistance amongst P. aeruginosa strains isolated from different aquatic sources by using different contact time (1, 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes in solutions with known chlorine concentrations according current legislation in the country to potable water: 0.5; 1.0 and 2.0 ppm. The chlorine resistance test was done by direct exposure of P. aeruginosa under a solution with known chlorine concentration. Results showed that P. aeruginosa strains isolated from different aquatic sources are able to survive in different chlorine concentrations. At 1 ppm, most of them were not inhibited. It was also

Influence of temperature shifts on survival, growth, and toxin production by psychrotrophic and mesophilic strains of Bacillus cereus in potatoes and chicken gravy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahakarnchanakul, W; Beuchat, L R

1999-03-15

A study was done to determine the influence of temperature on growth and toxin production characteristics of psychrotrophic and mesophilic strains of Bacillus cereus when inoculated into mashed potatoes and chicken gravy containing various concentrations of sodium chloride and held at temperatures different from those at which cells had been cultured. Logarithmic growth phase cells (10 h, 30 degrees C) of psychrotrophic (F3802A/84) and mesophilic (B4ac-1) strains of Bacillus cereus were inoculated into rehydrated commercially processed instant mashed potatoes and chicken gravy supplemented with 0, 2, or 4% sodium chloride. Growth, survival, and diarrheal toxin production in potatoes and gravy held at 30, 37, and 10 degrees C (strain F3802A/84) or 30, 40, and 10 degrees C (strain B4ac-1) were monitored. Both strains grew in both foods containing no added sodium chloride or 2% sodium chloride when held at 30, 37, or 40 degrees C for 2 days. Strain B4ac-1 grew better than strain F3802A/84 in foods containing 4% sodium chloride. Maximum amounts of enterotoxin (1024 ng/g) were produced by strain B4ac-1 in chicken gravy held at 30 and 40 degrees C. Strain F3802A/84 grew to populations of 7 log10 CFU/g in foods containing no added sodium chloride or 2% sodium chloride at 10 degrees C. Strain F3802A/84 produced the highest amount of enterotoxin (1024 ng/g) at 30 degrees C in chicken gravy containing 0.7 or 2% sodium chloride; however, little or low amounts of toxin (4-16 ng/g) were produced in chicken gravy at 10 degrees C. Compared to strain B4ac-1, cells of strain F3802A/84 subjected to a downward shift in incubation temperature (10 degrees C) grew more rapidly in chicken gravy. Strain B4ac-1 produced the highest amount of toxin (1024 ng/g) at 30 degrees C in gravy containing 4% sodium chloride and at 40 degrees C in gravy containing 0.7% sodium chloride. Toxin was not detected in inoculated mashed potatoes. Results of this study indicate that shifts in incubation

Measurement of stress-strain behaviour of human hair fibres using optical techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, J; Kwon, H J

2013-06-01

Many studies have presented stress-strain relationship of human hair, but most of them have been based on an engineering stress-strain curve, which is not a true representation of stress-strain behaviour. In this study, a more accurate 'true' stress-strain curve of human hair was determined by applying optical techniques to the images of the hair deformed under tension. This was achieved by applying digital image cross-correlation (DIC) to 10× magnified images of hair fibres taken under increasing tension to estimate the strain increments. True strain was calculated by summation of the strain increments according to the theoretical definition of 'true' strain. The variation in diameter with the increase in longitudinal elongation was also measured from the 40× magnified images to estimate the Poisson's ratio and true stress. By combining the true strain and the true stress, a true stress-strain curve could be determined, which demonstrated much higher stress values than the conventional engineering stress-strain curve at the same degree of deformation. Four regions were identified in the true stress-strain relationship and empirical constitutive equations were proposed for each region. Theoretical analysis on the necking condition using the constitutive equations provided the insight into the failure mechanism of human hair. This analysis indicated that local thinning caused by necking does not occur in the hair fibres, but, rather, relatively uniform deformation takes place until final failure (fracture) eventually occurs. © 2012 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Measurement of Strain and Strain Rate during the Impact of Tennis Ball Cores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ben Lane

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this investigation was to establish the strains and strain rates experienced by tennis ball cores during impact to inform material characterisation testing and finite element modelling. Three-dimensional surface strains and strain rates were measured using two high-speed video cameras and corresponding digital image correlation software (GOM Correlate Professional. The results suggest that material characterisation testing to a maximum strain of 0.4 and a maximum rate of 500 s−1 in tension and to a maximum strain of −0.4 and a maximum rate of −800 s−1 in compression would encapsulate the demands placed on the material during impact and, in turn, define the range of properties required to encapsulate the behavior of the material during impact, enabling testing to be application-specific and strain-rate-dependent properties to be established and incorporated in finite element models.

Metalaxyl Degradation by Mucorales Strains Gongronella sp. and Rhizopus oryzae.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Maria Rosário; Santos, Cledir; Pereira, Pablo; Cruz-Morais, Júlio; Lima, Nelson

2017-12-14

In this study, the degradation of metalaxyl was investigated in the presence of two Mucorales strains, previously isolated from soil subjected to repeated treatments with this fungicide and selected after enrichment technique. Fungal strains were characterised by a polyphasic approach using phylogenetic analysis of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) gene region, phenotypic characterisation by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) spectral analysis, and growth kinetics experiments. The strains were identified as Gongronella sp. and Rhizopus oryzae . The fungal growth kinetics in liquid cultures containing metalaxyl fits with Haldane model. Under laboratory conditions, the ability of Gongronella sp. and R. oryzae cultures to degrade metalaxyl was evaluated in liquid cultures and soil experiments. Both species were able to: (a) use metalaxyl as the main carbon and energy source; and (b) degrade metalaxyl in polluted soils, with rates around 1.0 mg kg - ¹ d - ¹. This suggests these strains could degrade metalaxyl in soils contaminated with this fungicide.

Metalaxyl Degradation by Mucorales Strains Gongronella sp. and Rhizopus oryzae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Rosário Martins

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, the degradation of metalaxyl was investigated in the presence of two Mucorales strains, previously isolated from soil subjected to repeated treatments with this fungicide and selected after enrichment technique. Fungal strains were characterised by a polyphasic approach using phylogenetic analysis of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS gene region, phenotypic characterisation by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS spectral analysis, and growth kinetics experiments. The strains were identified as Gongronella sp. and Rhizopus oryzae. The fungal growth kinetics in liquid cultures containing metalaxyl fits with Haldane model. Under laboratory conditions, the ability of Gongronella sp. and R. oryzae cultures to degrade metalaxyl was evaluated in liquid cultures and soil experiments. Both species were able to: (a use metalaxyl as the main carbon and energy source; and (b degrade metalaxyl in polluted soils, with rates around 1.0 mg kg−1 d−1. This suggests these strains could degrade metalaxyl in soils contaminated with this fungicide.

Cell culture isolation and sequence analysis of genetically diverse US porcine epidemic diarrhea virus strains including a novel strain with a large deletion in the spike gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Oka, Tomoichiro; Saif, Linda J; Marthaler, Douglas; Esseili, Malak A; Meulia, Tea; Lin, Chun-Ming; Vlasova, Anastasia N; Jung, Kwonil; Zhang, Yan; Wang, Qiuhong

2014-10-10

The highly contagious and deadly porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) first appeared in the US in April 2013. Since then the virus has spread rapidly nationwide and to Canada and Mexico causing high mortality among nursing piglets and significant economic losses. Currently there are no efficacious preventive measures or therapeutic tools to control PEDV in the US. The isolation of PEDV in cell culture is the first step toward the development of an attenuated vaccine, to study the biology of PEDV and to develop in vitro PEDV immunoassays, inactivation assays and screen for PEDV antivirals. In this study, nine of 88 US PEDV strains were isolated successfully on Vero cells with supplemental trypsin and subjected to genomic sequence analysis. They differed genetically mainly in the N-terminal S protein region as follows: (1) strains (n=7) similar to the highly virulent US PEDV strains; (2) one similar to the reportedly US S INDEL PEDV strain; and (3) one novel strain most closely related to highly virulent US PEDV strains, but with a large (197aa) deletion in the S protein. Representative strains of these three genetic groups were passaged serially and grew to titers of ∼5-6log10 plaque forming units/mL. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the isolation in cell culture of an S INDEL PEDV strain and a PEDV strain with a large (197aa) deletion in the S protein. We also designed primer sets to detect these genetically diverse US PEDV strains. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial job strain and sleep quality interaction leading to insufficient recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Rydstedt, Leif W; Devereux, Jason J

2013-11-05

The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of job strain and sleep quality on the diurnal pattern of cortisol reactivity, measured by awakening and evening (10 PM) saliva cortisol. The sample consisted of 76 British white-collar workers (24 women, 52 men; mean age 45.8 years). Sleep quality and job strain were assessed in a survey distributed just before the cortisol sampling. Both input variables were dichotomized about the median and factorial ANOVA was used for the statistical analysis. Low sleep quality was significantly associated with lower morning cortisol secretion. While job strain had no main effects on the cortisol reactivity there was a significant interaction effect between the input variables on morning cortisol secretion. These findings tentatively support the hypothesis that lack of sleep for workers with high job strain may result in a flattened diurnal cortisol reactivity.

Strong strain rate effect on the plasticity of amorphous silica nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yue, Yonghai; Zheng, Kun

2014-01-01

With electron-beam (e-beam) off, in-situ tensile experiments on amorphous silica nanowires (NWs) were performed inside a transmission electron microscope (TEM). By controlling the loading rates, the strain rate can be adjusted accurately in a wide range. The result shows a strong strain rate effect on the plasticity of amorphous silica NWs. At lower strain rate, the intrinsic brittle materials exhibit a pronounced elongation higher than 100% to failure with obvious necking near ambient temperature. At the strain rate higher than 5.23 × 10 −3 /s, the elongation of the NW decreased dramatically, and a brittle fracture feature behavior was revealed. This ductile feature of the amorphous silica NWs has been further confirmed with the in-situ experiments under optical microscopy while the effect of e-beam irradiation could be eliminated.

Strain measurement based battery testing

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jeff Qiang; Steiber, Joe; Wall, Craig M.; Smith, Robert; Ng, Cheuk

2017-05-23

A method and system for strain-based estimation of the state of health of a battery, from an initial state to an aged state, is provided. A strain gauge is applied to the battery. A first strain measurement is performed on the battery, using the strain gauge, at a selected charge capacity of the battery and at the initial state of the battery. A second strain measurement is performed on the battery, using the strain gauge, at the selected charge capacity of the battery and at the aged state of the battery. The capacity degradation of the battery is estimated as the difference between the first and second strain measurements divided by the first strain measurement.

Clinical feasibility and validation of 3D principal strain analysis from cine MRI: comparison to 2D strain by MRI and 3D speckle tracking echocardiography.

Science.gov (United States)

Satriano, Alessandro; Heydari, Bobak; Narous, Mariam; Exner, Derek V; Mikami, Yoko; Attwood, Monica M; Tyberg, John V; Lydell, Carmen P; Howarth, Andrew G; Fine, Nowell M; White, James A

2017-12-01

Two-dimensional (2D) strain analysis is constrained by geometry-dependent reference directions of deformation (i.e. radial, circumferential, and longitudinal) following the assumption of cylindrical chamber architecture. Three-dimensional (3D) principal strain analysis may overcome such limitations by referencing intrinsic (i.e. principal) directions of deformation. This study aimed to demonstrate clinical feasibility of 3D principal strain analysis from routine 2D cine MRI with validation to strain from 2D tagged cine analysis and 3D speckle tracking echocardiography. Thirty-one patients undergoing cardiac MRI were studied. 3D strain was measured from routine, multi-planar 2D cine SSFP images using custom software designed to apply 4D deformation fields to 3D cardiac models to derive principal strain. Comparisons of strain estimates versus those by 2D tagged cine, 2D non-tagged cine (feature tracking), and 3D speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) were performed. Mean age was 51 ± 14 (36% female). Mean LV ejection fraction was 66 ± 10% (range 37-80%). 3D principal strain analysis was feasible in all subjects and showed high inter- and intra-observer reproducibility (ICC range 0.83-0.97 and 0.83-0.98, respectively-p analysis is feasible using routine, multi-planar 2D cine MRI and shows high reproducibility with strong correlations to 2D conventional strain analysis and 3D STE-based analysis. Given its independence from geometry-related directions of deformation this technique may offer unique benefit for the detection and prognostication of myocardial disease, and warrants expanded investigation.

Study of probiotic potential of four wild Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuo, Yanfeng; Zhang, Weiqin; Zhang, Lanwei; Ai, Lianzhong; Zhang, Yingchun; Han, Xue; Yi, Huaxi

2013-06-01

The four wild Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains were examined in vitro for resistance to simulated gastro and intestinal juices, adhesion to HT-29 cells, antagonistic activity against enteric pathogens and immunomodulating activity. The strains L. rhamnosus SB5L, J5L and IN1L were able to survive in simulated gastro juice while the strain L. rhamnosus SB31L lost viability exposed to simulated gastro juice for 3 h. The four strains had high viability in simulated small intestinal juice with little loss (<1.0 cycle reduction). The strains SB5L, J5L and IN1L antagonized against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 14028, Shigella sonnei ATCC 25931. The strain L. rhamnosus IN1L had the highest adhesive capability to HT-29 cells in vitro (251 bacteria cells per 100 HT-29 cells) compared to the other three L. rhamnosus strains. The live bacteria, cell wall and DNA of the four L. rhamnosus induced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-12 (p70), IFN-γ and TNF-α by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The levels of IL-12 (p70), IFN-γ and TNF-α produced by stimulated PBMCs were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of the control. Those data indicated that the four L. rhamnosus strains have the potential as the probiotic for human being use, although further studies are still needed. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genome sequence of the moderately thermophilic halophile Flexistipes sinusarabici strain (MAS10T)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lapidus, Alla L. [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Chertkov, Olga [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Nolan, Matt [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Lucas, Susan [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Hammon, Nancy [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Deshpande, Shweta [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Cheng, Jan-Fang [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Tapia, Roxanne [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Han, Cliff [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Goodwin, Lynne A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Pitluck, Sam [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Liolios, Konstantinos [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Pagani, Ioanna [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Ivanova, N [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Huntemann, Marcel [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Mavromatis, K [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Mikhailova, Natalia [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Pati, Amrita [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Chen, Amy [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Palaniappan, Krishna [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Land, Miriam L [ORNL; Hauser, Loren John [ORNL; Brambilla, Evelyne-Marie [DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany; Rohde, Manfred [HZI - Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany; Abt, Birte [DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany; Spring, Stefan [DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany; Goker, Markus [DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany; Bristow, James [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Eisen, Jonathan [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Markowitz, Victor [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Hugenholtz, Philip [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Kyrpides, Nikos C [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Klenk, Hans-Peter [DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany; Woyke, Tanja [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute

2011-01-01

Flexistipes sinusarabici Fiala et al. 2000 is the type species of the genus Flexistipes in the fami- ly Deferribacteraceae. The species is of interest because of its isolated phylogenetic location in a genomically under-characterized region of the tree of life, and because of its origin from a multiply extreme environment; the Atlantis Deep brines of the Red Sea, where it had to struggle with high temperatures, high salinity, and a high concentrations of heavy metals. This is the fourth completed genome sequence to be published of a type strain of the family Deferribacteraceae. The 2,526,590 bp long genome with its 2,346 protein-coding and 53 RNA genes is a part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Different Silk Yields of Two Silkworm Strains.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Li

Full Text Available Cocoon and silk yields are the most important characteristics of sericulture. However, few studies have examined the genes that modulate these features. Further studies of these genes will be useful for improving the products of sericulture. JingSong (JS and Lan10 (L10 are two strains having significantly different cocoon and silk yields. In the current study, RNA-Seq and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR were performed on both strains in order to determine divergence of the silk gland, which controls silk biosynthesis in silkworms. Compared with L10, JS had 1375 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 738 up-regulated genes and 673 down-regulated genes. Nine enriched gene ontology (GO terms were identified by GO enrichment analysis based on these DEGs. KEGG enrichment analysis results showed that the DEGs were enriched in three pathways, which were mainly associated with the processing and biosynthesis of proteins. The representative genes in the enrichment pathways and ten significant DEGs were further verified by qPCR, the results of which were consistent with the RNA-Seq data. Our study has revealed differences in silk glands between the two silkworm strains and provides a perspective for understanding the molecular mechanisms determining silk yield.

Occupation-specific screening for future sickness absence: Criterion validity of the trucker strain monitor (TSM)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Croon, E.M.de; Blonk, R.W.; Sluiter, J.K.; Frings-Dresen, M.H.

2005-01-01

Background: Monitoring psychological job strain may help occupational physicians to take preventive action at the appropriate time. For this purpose, the 10-item trucker strain monitor (TSM) assessing work-related fatigue and sleeping problems in truck drivers was developed. Objectives: This study

Genome Analyses of Icelandic Strains of Sulfolobus islandicus, Model Organisms for Genetic and Virus-Host Interaction Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guo, Li; Brügger, Kim; Liu, Chao

2011-01-01

The genomes of two Sulfolobus islandicus strains obtained from Icelandic solfataras were sequenced and analyzed. Strain REY15A is a host for a versatile genetic toolbox. It exhibits a genome of minimal size, is stable genetically, and is easy to grow and manipulate. Strain HVE10/4 shows a broad h...

Viability and Stress Response of Putative Probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum Strains in Honey Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Landry, Bemmo Kamdem Ulrich; François, Zambou Ngoufack; Wang, Rui-Yan; Taicheng, Zhu; Li, Yin

2017-12-01

Due to problem of preservation of dairy products which serve as a matrix for probiotics, it is challenging to use these probiotics as food supplements in many developing countries. To determine the suitability of the Lactobacillus strains for exploitation as probiotics in honey, we investigated the effect of their storage on the viability, functionality, and the mechanism associated with their protective effect. Three isolates obtained from our laboratory collection were identified through amplification of the 16S rRNA gene. The viability of the strains in honey at different storage conditions was studied. Three genes (hdc, gtf, and clpL) responsible for the resistance of bacteria in acidic environments were screened. SDS-PAGE analysis of total protein was performed to observe protein profile changes of the strains after exposure to honey. All the three isolates, namely, GGU, GLA51, and GLP56, were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum strains. After 28 days of storage in honey at 4 °C, viable cell concentrations of the three strains were higher than 2.04 × 10 6  CFU/ml. During the same period at room temperature, only the Lactobacillus plantarum GLP56 strain remained viable with a cell concentration of 1.86 × 10 4  CFU/ml. The clpL gene coding for ATPase was detected in all the three strains. The protein of molecular weight ~ 50 kDa was absent in the protein profile of Lactobacillus plantarum GGU after 60 days of storage in honey at 4 °C. The Lactobacillus plantarum GLP56, Lactobacillus plantarum GLA51, and Lactobacillus plantarum GGU strains exposed to honey can withstand acidic environmental stress but their viability declines over time.

Localized strain measurements of the intervertebral disc annulus during biaxial tensile testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Karakolis, Thomas; Callaghan, Jack P

2015-01-01

Both inter-lamellar and intra-lamellar failures of the annulus have been described as potential modes of disc herniation. Attempts to characterize initial lamellar failure of the annulus have involved tensile testing of small tissue samples. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a method of measuring local surface strains through image analysis of a tensile test conducted on an isolated sample of annular tissue in order to enhance future studies of intervertebral disc failure. An annulus tissue sample was biaxial strained to 10%. High-resolution images captured the tissue surface throughout testing. Three test conditions were evaluated: submerged, non-submerged and marker. Surface strains were calculated for the two non-marker conditions based on motion of virtual tracking points. Tracking algorithm parameters (grid resolution and template size) were varied to determine the effect on estimated strains. Accuracy of point tracking was assessed through a comparison of the non-marker conditions to a condition involving markers placed on tissue surface. Grid resolution had a larger effect on local strain than template size. Average local strain error ranged from 3% to 9.25% and 0.1% to 2.0%, for the non-submerged and submerged conditions, respectively. Local strain estimation has a relatively high potential for error. Submerging the tissue provided superior strain estimates.

Regulation of thrombomodulin expression and release in human aortic endothelial cells by cyclic strain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fiona A Martin

Full Text Available Thrombomodulin (TM, an integral membrane glycoprotein expressed on the lumenal surface of vascular endothelial cells, promotes anti-coagulant and anti-inflammatory properties. Release of functional TM from the endothelium surface into plasma has also been reported. Much is still unknown however about how endothelial TM is regulated by physiologic hemodynamic forces (and particularly cyclic strain intrinsic to endothelial-mediated vascular homeostasis.This study employed human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs to investigate the effects of equibiaxial cyclic strain (7.5%, 60 cycles/min, 24 hrs, and to a lesser extent, laminar shear stress (10 dynes/cm2, 24 hrs, on TM expression and release. Time-, dose- and frequency-dependency studies were performed.Our initial studies demonstrated that cyclic strain strongly downregulated TM expression in a p38- and receptor tyrosine kinase-dependent manner. This was in contrast to the upregulatory effect of shear stress. Moreover, both forces significantly upregulated TM release over a 48 hr period. With continuing focus on the cyclic strain-induced TM release, we noted both dose (0-7.5% and frequency (0.5-2.0 Hz dependency, with no attenuation of strain-induced TM release observed following inhibition of MAP kinases (p38, ERK-1/2, receptor tyrosine kinase, or eNOS. The concerted impact of cyclic strain and inflammatory mediators on TM release from HAECs was also investigated. In this respect, both TNFα (100 ng/ml and ox-LDL (10-50 µg/ml appeared to potentiate strain-induced TM release. Finally, inhibition of neither MMPs (GM6001 nor rhomboids (3,4-dichloroisocoumarin had any effect on strain-induced TM release. However, significantly elevated levels (2.1 fold of TM were observed in isolated microparticle fractions following 7.5% strain for 24 hrs.A preliminary in vitro investigation into the effects of cyclic strain on TM in HAECs is presented. Physiologic cyclic strain was observed to downregulate TM

Experimental and numerical investigation of strain rate effect on low cycle fatigue behaviour of AA 5754 alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, P.; Singh, A.

2018-04-01

The present study deals with evaluation of low cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior of aluminum alloy 5754 (AA 5754) at different strain rates. This alloy has magnesium (Mg) as main alloying element (Al-Mg alloy) which makes this alloy suitable for Marines and Cryogenics applications. The testing procedure and specimen preparation are guided by ASTM E606 standard. The tests are performed at 0.5% strain amplitude with three different strain rates i.e. 0.5×10-3 sec-1, 1×10-3 sec-1 and 2×10-3 sec-1 thus the frequency of tests vary accordingly. The experimental results show that there is significant decrease in the fatigue life with the increase in strain rate. LCF behavior of AA 5754 is also simulated at different strain rates by finite element method. Chaboche kinematic hardening cyclic plasticity model is used for simulating the hardening behavior of the material. Axisymmetric finite element model is created to reduce the computational cost of the simulation. The material coefficients used for “Chaboche Model” are determined by experimentally obtained stabilized hysteresis loop. The results obtained from finite element simulation are compared with those obtained through LCF experiments.

Role of Antibiosis in Competition of Erwinia Strains in Potato Infection Courts

Science.gov (United States)

Axelrood, Paige E.; Rella, Manuela; Schroth, Milton N.

1988-01-01

Erwinia carotovora subsp. betavasculorum strains produced a bactericidal antibiotic in vitro that inhibited a wide spectrum of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. The optimum temperature for production was 24°C, and the addition of glycerol to culture media enhanced antibiotic production. Antibiotic production by these strains in the infection court of potato was the principal determinant enabling it to gain ascendancy over competing antibiotic-sensitive Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora strains. There was a complete correlation between antibiotic production by E. carotovora subsp. betavasculorum in vitro and inhibition of competing E. carotovora subsp. carotovora strains in planta. Inhibition of the latter by the former was apparent after 10 h of incubation in potato tuber wounds. Population densities of sensitive E. carotovora subsp. carotovora strains in mixed potato tuber infections with E. carotovora subsp. betavasculorum were approximately 106-fold lower after 48 h of incubation than in corresponding single sensitive strain infections. E. carotovora subsp. carotovora were not inhibited in tuber infections that were incubated anaerobically. This correlated with the absence of antibiotic production during anaerobic incubation in vitro. Antibiotic-resistant strains of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora were not inhibited in planta or in vitro by E. carotovora subsp. betavasculorum. Moreover, isogenic antibiotic-negative (Ant−) mutant E. carotovora subsp. betavasculorum strains were not inhibitory to sensitive E. carotovora subsp. carotovora strains in tuber infections. PMID:16347633

Bend strain tolerances of a Nb3Sn conductor proposed for use in the magnetic fusion energy program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luhman, T.; Welch, D.O.; Suenaga, M.

1980-01-01

Bend strain tolerances were studied on a 2869 filament bronze-processed Nb 3 Sn wire conductor in magnetic fields to 8 T. Relative values of the wire's current transfer length to twist pitch were shown to influence the bend-strain tolerance. Low matrix resistivities, associated with Sn-depleted bronzes following heat-treatments of 48 h at 725 0 C, produce current transfer lengths less than the twist pitch, 10 mm. The resulting bend-strain tolerances, at 10 -12 ohm.cm, are improved over those found for shorter heat-treatment times. Results from bend-fatigue experiments were divided into two domains separated by the strain value required to produce compound cracking, epsilon/sub f//sup B/. Applied bending strains less than epsilon/sub f//sup B/ were found to increase zero strain critical current values and this increase was independent of the number of fatigue cycles. When applying strains large enough to produce cracking in the compounds critical currents decreased from their asreacted values tending to reach a minimum after several fatigue cycles. Evidence exists for a neutral axis shift during bending and slight differences between tensile and bend strain tolerances are accounted for in terms of such a shift

Genotyping of human and porcine Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia intertmedia, and Yersinia bercovieri strains from Switzerland by amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kuehni-Boghenbor, Kathrin; On, Stephen L.W.; Kokotovic, Branko

2006-01-01

In this study, 231 strains of Yersinia enterocolitica, 25 strains of Y. intermedia, and 10 strains of Y. bercovieri from human and porcine sources (including reference strains) were analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), a whole-genome fingerprinting method for subtyping...

Strain sensor system based on amorphous ferromagnetic ribbons

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jančárik, V.; Švec, P.; Kraus, Luděk

2002-01-01

Roč. 53, 10/S (2002), s. 92-94 ISSN 1335-3632. [Magnetic Measurements'02. Bratislava, 11.09.2002-13.09.2002] Grant - others:NATO(XX) SfP 973649 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1010914 Keywords : strain sensor * magnetoelastic effect * amorphous ferromagnetic Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism

PCR detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin genes in Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from raw and pasteurized milk.

Science.gov (United States)

Rall, V L M; Vieira, F P; Rall, R; Vieitis, R L; Fernandes, A; Candeias, J M G; Cardoso, K F G; Araújo, J P

2008-12-10

Milk is considered a nutritious food because it contains several important nutrients including proteins and vitamins. Conversely, it can be a vehicle for several pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. This study aimed to analyze the frequency of genes encoding the staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) SEA, SEB, SEC, SED, SEE, SEG, SEH, SEI and SEJ in S. aureus strains isolated from raw or pasteurized bovine milk. S. aureus was found in 38 (70.4%) out of 54 raw milk samples at concentrations of up to 8.9 x 10(5) CFU/ml. This microorganism was present in eight samples of pasteurized milk before the expiration date and in 11 samples analyzed on the expiration date. Of the 57 strains studied, 68.4% were positive for one or more genes encoding the enterotoxins, and 12 different genotypes were identified. The gene coding for enterotoxin A, sea, was the most frequent (16 strains, 41%), followed by sec (8 strains, 20.5%), sed (5 strains, 12.8%), seb (3 strains, 7.7%) and see (2 strains, 5.1%). Among the genes encoding the other enterotoxins, seg was the most frequently observed (11 strains, 28.2%), followed by sei (10 strains) and seh and sej (3 strains each). With the recent identification of new SEs, the perceived frequency of enterotoxigenic strains has increased, suggesting that the pathogenic potential of staphylococci may be higher than previously thought; however, further studies are required to assess the expression of these new SEs by S. aureus, and their impact in foodborne disease. The quality of Brazilian milk is still low, and efforts from the government and the entire productive chain are required to attain consumer safety.

Ultra high hole mobilities in a pure strained Ge quantum well

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mironov, O.A.; Hassan, A.H.A.; Morris, R.J.H.; Dobbie, A.; Uhlarz, M.; Chrastina, D.; Hague, J.P.; Kiatgamolchai, S.; Beanland, R.; Gabani, S.; Berkutov, I.B.; Helm, M.; Drachenko, O.; Myronov, M.; Leadley, D.R.

2014-01-01

Hole mobilities at low and room temperature (RT) have been studied for a strained sGe/SiGe heterostructure using standard Van der Pauw resistivity and Hall effect measurements. The range of magnetic field and temperatures used were − 14 T < B < + 14 T and 1.5 K < T < 300 K respectively. Using maximum entropy-mobility spectrum analysis (ME-MSA) and Bryan's algorithm mobility spectrum (BAMS) analysis, a RT two dimensional hole gas drift mobility of (3.9 ± 0.4) × 10 3 cm 2 /V s was determined for a sheet density (p s ) 9.8 × 10 10 cm −2 (by ME-MSA) and (3.9 ± 0.2) × 10 3 cm 2 /V s for a sheet density (p s ) 5.9 × 10 10 cm −2 (by BAMS). - Highlights: • Pure strained Ge channel grown by reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition • Maximum entropy-mobility spectrum analysis • Bryan's algorithm mobility spectrum analysis • High room temperature hole drift mobility of (3.9 ± 0.4) × 10 3 cm 2 /V s • Extremely high hole mobility of 1.1 × 10 6 cm 2 /V s at 12 K

Cyclic behavior of Ta at low temperatures under low stresses and strain rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stickler, C.; Knabl, W.; Stickler, R.; Weiss, B.

2001-01-01

The cyclic stress-strain response of recrystallized technically pure Ta was investigated in the stress range well below the technical flow stress, for temperatures between 173 K and 423 K, at loading rates between 0.042 Mpa/s and 4.2 Mpa/s with resulting plastic strains between -5 up to 1X10 -2 . Cyclic hardening-softening curves were recorded in multiple step tests. Cyclic stress strain curves exhibit straight portions associated with microplastic, transition range and macroplastic deformation mechanisms. The microstructure of the deformed specimens was characterized by SEM and TEM techniques which revealed typical dislocation arrangements related to plastic strain amplitudes and test temperatures. A mechanism of the microstrain deformation of Ta is proposed. (author)

Role of stacking fault energy on the deformation characteristics of copper alloys processed by plane strain compression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Danaf, Ehab A.; Al-Mutlaq, Ayman; Soliman, Mahmoud S.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Different compositions of Cu-Zn and Cu-Al alloys are plane strain compressed. → Strain hardening rates, microstructure and texture evolution are documented. → SFE has an indirect effect rather a critical dislocation density controls twinning. → Cu-Al exhibited the need for higher dislocation density for twin initiation. → Onset of twinning occurs in the copper alloys tested with a normalized SFE ≤ 10-3. - Abstract: Samples of Cu-Al and Cu-Zn alloys with different compositions were subjected to large strains under plane strain compression (PSC), a process that simulates the rolling operation. Four compositions in the Cu-Al system, namely 1, 2, 4.7 and 7 wt.% Al and three compositions in the Cu-Zn system of 10, 20 and 30 wt.% Zn, were investigated. Adding Al or Zn to Cu effectively lowers the stacking fault energy (SFE) of the alloy and changes the deformation mechanism from dislocation slipping to dislocation slipping and deformation twinning. True stress-true strain responses in PSC were documented and the strain hardening rates were calculated and correlated to the evolved microstructure. The onset of twinning in low SFE alloys was not directly related to the low value of SFE, but rather to build up of a critical dislocation density during strain hardening in the early stage of deformation (ε < 0.1). The evolution of texture was documented for the Cu-Al samples using X-ray diffraction for samples plane strain compressed to true axial strains of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0. Orientation distribution function (ODF) plots were generated and quantitative information on the volume fraction of ideal rolling orientations were depicted and correlated with the stacking fault energy.

Effects of Zika Virus Strain and Aedes Mosquito Species on Vector Competence

Science.gov (United States)

Bialosuknia, Sean M.; Zink, Steven D.; Brecher, Matthew; Ehrbar, Dylan J.; Morrissette, Madeline N.; Kramer, Laura D.

2017-01-01

In the Western Hemisphere, Zika virus is thought to be transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. To determine the extent to which Ae. albopictus mosquitoes from the United States are capable of transmitting Zika virus and the influence of virus dose, virus strain, and mosquito species on vector competence, we evaluated multiple doses of representative Zika virus strains in Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Virus preparation (fresh vs. frozen) significantly affected virus infectivity in mosquitoes. We calculated 50% infectious doses to be 6.1–7.5 log10 PFU/mL; minimum infective dose was 4.2 log10 PFU/mL. Ae. albopictus mosquitoes were more susceptible to infection than Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, but transmission efficiency was higher for Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, indicating a transmission barrier in Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Results suggest that, although Zika virus transmission is relatively inefficient overall and dependent on virus strain and mosquito species, Ae. albopictus mosquitoes could become major vectors in the Americas. PMID:28430564

Effects of Zika Virus Strain and Aedes Mosquito Species on Vector Competence.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciota, Alexander T; Bialosuknia, Sean M; Zink, Steven D; Brecher, Matthew; Ehrbar, Dylan J; Morrissette, Madeline N; Kramer, Laura D

2017-07-01

In the Western Hemisphere, Zika virus is thought to be transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. To determine the extent to which Ae. albopictus mosquitoes from the United States are capable of transmitting Zika virus and the influence of virus dose, virus strain, and mosquito species on vector competence, we evaluated multiple doses of representative Zika virus strains in Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Virus preparation (fresh vs. frozen) significantly affected virus infectivity in mosquitoes. We calculated 50% infectious doses to be 6.1-7.5 log 10 PFU/mL; minimum infective dose was 4.2 log 10 PFU/mL. Ae. albopictus mosquitoes were more susceptible to infection than Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, but transmission efficiency was higher for Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, indicating a transmission barrier in Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Results suggest that, although Zika virus transmission is relatively inefficient overall and dependent on virus strain and mosquito species, Ae. albopictus mosquitoes could become major vectors in the Americas.

Resistance gene pool to co-trimoxazole in non-susceptible Nocardia strains.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sylvia eValdezate

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The soil-borne pathogen Nocardia spp. causes severe cutaneous, pulmonary and central nervous system infections. Against them, co-trimoxazole (SXT constitutes the mainstay of antimicrobial therapy. However, some Nocardia strains show resistance to SXT, but the underlying genetic basis is unknown. We investigated the presence of genetic resistance determinants and class 1-3 integrons in 76 SXT-resistant Nocardia strains by PCR and sequencing. By E-test, these clinical strains showed SXT MICs of ≥32:608 mg/L (ratio of 1:19 for trimethoprim: sulfamethoxazole. They belonged to 12 species, being the main representatives N. farcinica (32%, followed by N. flavorosea (6.5%, N. nova (11.8%, N. carnea (10.5%, N. transvalensis (10.5% and Nocardia spp. (6.5%. The prevalence of resistance genes in the SXT-resistant strains was as follows: sul1 and sul2 93.4% and 78.9% respectively, dfrA(S1 14.7%, blaTEM-1 and blaZ 2.6% and 2.6% respectively, VIM-2 1.3%, aph(3´-IIIa 40.8%, ermA, ermB, mefA and msrD 2.6%, 77.6%, 14.4%, and 5.2% respectively, and tet(O, tet(M, and tet(L 48.6%, 25.0% and 3.9% respectively. Detected amino acid changes in GyrA were not related to fluoroquinolone resistance, but probably linked to species polymorphism. Class 1 and 3 integrons were found in 93.42% and 56.57% strains, respectively. Class 2 integrons and sul3 genes were not detected. Other mechanisms, different than dfrA(S1, dfrD, dfrF, dfrG and dfrK, could explain the strong trimethoprim resistance shown by the other 64 strains. For first time, resistance determinants commonly found in clinically important bacteria were detected in Nocardia spp. sul1, sul2, erm(B and tet(O were the most prevalent in the SXT-resistant strains. The similarity in their resistome could be due to a common genetic platform, in which these determinants are co-transferred

Synergistic Action of D-Glucose and Acetosyringone on Agrobacterium Strains for Efficient Dunaliella Transformation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramachandran Srinivasan

Full Text Available An effective transformation protocol for Dunaliella, a β-carotene producer, was developed using the synergistic mechanism of D-glucose and Acetosyringone on three different Agrobacterium strains (EHA105, GV3101 and LBA4404. In the present study, we investigated the pre-induction of Agrobacterium strains harboring pMDC45 binary vector in TAP media at varying concentrations of D-glucose (5 mM, 10 mM, and 15mM and 100 μM of Acetosyringone for co-cultivation. Induction of Agrobacterium strains with 10 mM D-glucose and 100 μM Acetosyringone showed higher rates of efficiency compared to other treatments. The presence of GFP and HPT transgenes as a measure of transformation efficiency from the transgenic lines were determined using fluorescent microscopy, PCR, and southern blot analyzes. Highest transformation rate was obtained with the Agrobacterium strain LBA4404 (181 ± 3.78 cfu per 106 cells followed by GV3101 (128 ± 5.29 cfu per 106 cells and EHA105 (61 ± 5.03 cfu per 106 cells. However, the Agrobacterium strain GV3101 exhibited more efficient single copy transgene (HPT transfer into the genome of D. salina than LBA4404. Therefore, future studies dealing with genetic modifications in D. salina can utilize GV3101 as an optimal Agrobacterium strain for gene transfer.

Synergistic Action of D-Glucose and Acetosyringone on Agrobacterium Strains for Efficient Dunaliella Transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasan, Ramachandran; Gothandam, Kodiveri Muthukalianan

2016-01-01

An effective transformation protocol for Dunaliella, a β-carotene producer, was developed using the synergistic mechanism of D-glucose and Acetosyringone on three different Agrobacterium strains (EHA105, GV3101 and LBA4404). In the present study, we investigated the pre-induction of Agrobacterium strains harboring pMDC45 binary vector in TAP media at varying concentrations of D-glucose (5 mM, 10 mM, and 15mM) and 100 μM of Acetosyringone for co-cultivation. Induction of Agrobacterium strains with 10 mM D-glucose and 100 μM Acetosyringone showed higher rates of efficiency compared to other treatments. The presence of GFP and HPT transgenes as a measure of transformation efficiency from the transgenic lines were determined using fluorescent microscopy, PCR, and southern blot analyzes. Highest transformation rate was obtained with the Agrobacterium strain LBA4404 (181 ± 3.78 cfu per 106 cells) followed by GV3101 (128 ± 5.29 cfu per 106 cells) and EHA105 (61 ± 5.03 cfu per 106 cells). However, the Agrobacterium strain GV3101 exhibited more efficient single copy transgene (HPT) transfer into the genome of D. salina than LBA4404. Therefore, future studies dealing with genetic modifications in D. salina can utilize GV3101 as an optimal Agrobacterium strain for gene transfer.

[Investigation of some virulence factors in Trichosporon spp. strains].

Science.gov (United States)

Demir, Feyza; Kuştimur, Semra

2014-10-01

The frequency of fungal infections have increased recently in parallel to prolonged survival of patients with chronical infections, common use of the broad-spectrum antibiotics and cytotoxic drugs and surgical interventions. Fungi such as Trichosporon, Fusarium and Geotrichum that were previously evaluated as contaminant/colonization, become important causes of morbidity and mortality especially in neutropenic patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of virulence factors such as acid proteinase, phospholipase, esterase, coagulase and hemolytic activity among Trichosporon species. A total of 40 Trichosporon strains, of them 24 (60%) were T.asahii, 6 (15%) were T.inkin and 10 (25%) were the other species (one of each of T.aquatile, T.asteroides, T.coremiiforme, T.cutaneum, T.dermatis, T.faecale, T.japonicum, T.montevideense, T.mucoides, T.ovoides) were included in the study. Identification of the isolates was performed according to microscopic morphology (blastospores, arthrospores, pseudohyphae and true hyphae) on corn meal agar media, and carbohydrate assimilation patterns (API ID32C; bioMérieux, France). Secretory acid proteinase, phospholipase and esterase activities of the strains were evaluated by 1% bovine serum albumin containing agar, by egg yolk containing solid medium, and by Tween 80 containing solid medium, respectively. Hemolytic activity of the isolates were evaluated by 5-10% sheep blood Sabouraud dextrose agar. Coagulase enzyme activity was determined by using human and rabbit plasma. In our study, all of the 40 Trichosporon spp. strains were found negative in terms of acid proteinase and phospholipase enzyme activity, however all were positive for esterase enzyme activity. Hemolytic enzyme activity were identified in a total of 15 (37.5%) strains, being "+++" in three strains (2 T.asahii, 1 T.japonicum), and "++" in 12 isolates (9 T.asahii, 1 T.inkin, 1 T.asteroides, 1 T.mentevideense). Although 11 of those 15 positive

Strain expansion-reduction approach

Science.gov (United States)

Baqersad, Javad; Bharadwaj, Kedar

2018-02-01

Validating numerical models are one of the main aspects of engineering design. However, correlating million degrees of freedom of numerical models to the few degrees of freedom of test models is challenging. Reduction/expansion approaches have been traditionally used to match these degrees of freedom. However, the conventional reduction/expansion approaches are only limited to displacement, velocity or acceleration data. While in many cases only strain data are accessible (e.g. when a structure is monitored using strain-gages), the conventional approaches are not capable of expanding strain data. To bridge this gap, the current paper outlines a reduction/expansion technique to reduce/expand strain data. In the proposed approach, strain mode shapes of a structure are extracted using the finite element method or the digital image correlation technique. The strain mode shapes are used to generate a transformation matrix that can expand the limited set of measurement data. The proposed approach can be used to correlate experimental and analytical strain data. Furthermore, the proposed technique can be used to expand real-time operating data for structural health monitoring (SHM). In order to verify the accuracy of the approach, the proposed technique was used to expand the limited set of real-time operating data in a numerical model of a cantilever beam subjected to various types of excitations. The proposed technique was also applied to expand real-time operating data measured using a few strain gages mounted to an aluminum beam. It was shown that the proposed approach can effectively expand the strain data at limited locations to accurately predict the strain at locations where no sensors were placed.

Biodiesel Production from Selected Microalgae Strains and Determination of its Properties and Combustion Specific Characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Kokkinos

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Biofuels are gaining importance as significant substitutes for the depleting fossil fuels. Recent focus is on microalgae as the third generation feedstock. In the present research work, two indigenous fresh water and two marine Chlorophyte strains have been cultivated successfully under laboratory conditions using commercial fertilizer (Nutrileaf 30-10-10, initial concentration=70 g/m3 as nutrient source. Gas chromatographic analysis data showed that microalgae biodiesel obtained from Chlorophyte strains biomass were composed of fatty acid methyl esters. The produced microalgae biodiesel achieved a range of 2.2 - 10.6 % total lipid content and an unsaturated FAME content between 49 mol% and 59 mol%. The iodine value, the cetane number, the cold filter plugging point, the oxidative stability as well as combustion specific characteristics of the final biodiesels were determined based on the compositions of the four microalgae strains. The calculated biodiesel properties compared then with the corresponding properties of biodiesel from known vegetable oils, from other algae strains and with the specifications in the EU (EN 14214 and US (ASTM D6751 standards. The derived biodiesels from indigenous Chlorophyte algae were significantly comparable in quality with other biodiesels.

SURVIVING OF COMMERCIAL PROBIOTIC STRAIN Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG IN SLOVAK COW LUMP CHEESE EXPERIMENTALLY INOCULATED WITH Listeria innocua

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Lauková

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Cow lump cheese represents a traditional Slovak cheese. It belongs to fresh types of cheeses. The aim of this study was to test surviving of commercial probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in cow lump cheese experimentally infected with L. innocua; (listeriae are contaminants and to check the suitability of GG strain as additive for this product. The counts of GG strain in cow lump cheeses were well balanced during whole experiment. It was found in the counts from 5.48 ± 0.15 to 7.77 ±1.50 log10 cfu/g. Its maximum in cheese was 7.77 ± 1.30 log10 cfu/g on day 7 with stability up to day 14. The identity of GG strain isolated from cheeses was confirmed by PCR. The counts of other lactic acid bacteria were also well balanced during the whole experiment in the experimental cheeses with stability up to day 14. Only in E1/GG cheese, the highest number of LAB was detected (10.60 ±1.26 log10 cfu/g. The count of L. innocua LMG 13568 was not influenced. The pH and lactic acid values were not negatively influenced. Visually, the GG cheese provided a good structure (consistency.It can be disputed that shelf-life of the product could be maintained by this way and/or the product itself with GG strain can be consumed as afunctional food or to serve as a probiotic strain carrier.

Differentiation of Microbial Species and Strains in Coculture Biofilms by Multivariate Analysis of Laser Desorption Postionization Mass Spectra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

University of Illinois at Chicago; Montana State University; Bhardwaj, Chhavi; Cui, Yang; Hofstetter, Theresa; Liu, Suet Yi; Bernstein, Hans C.; Carlson, Ross P.; Ahmed, Musahid; Hanley, Luke

2013-04-01

7.87 to 10.5 eV vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photon energies were used in laser desorption postionization mass spectrometry (LDPI-MS) to analyze biofilms comprised of binary cultures of interacting microorganisms. The effect of photon energy was examined using both tunable synchrotron and laser sources of VUV radiation. Principal components analysis (PCA) was applied to the MS data to differentiate species in Escherichia coli-Saccharomyces cerevisiae coculture biofilms. PCA of LDPI-MS also differentiated individual E. coli strains in a biofilm comprised of two interacting gene deletion strains, even though these strains differed from the wild type K-12 strain by no more than four gene deletions each out of approximately 2000 genes. PCA treatment of 7.87 eV LDPI-MS data separated the E. coli strains into three distinct groups two ?pure? groups and a mixed region. Furthermore, the ?pure? regions of the E. coli cocultures showed greater variance by PCA when analyzed by 7.87 eV photon energies than by 10.5 eV radiation. Comparison of the 7.87 and 10.5 eV data is consistent with the expectation that the lower photon energy selects a subset of low ionization energy analytes while 10.5 eV is more inclusive, detecting a wider range of analytes. These two VUV photon energies therefore give different spreads via PCA and their respective use in LDPI-MS constitute an additional experimental parameter to differentiate strains and species.

Lactobacillus ruminis strains cluster according to their mammalian gut source.

Science.gov (United States)

O' Donnell, Michelle M; Harris, Hugh Michael B; Lynch, Denise B; Ross, Reynolds Paul; O'Toole, Paul W

2015-04-01

Lactobacillus ruminis is a motile Lactobacillus that is autochthonous to the human gut, and which may also be isolated from other mammals. Detailed characterization of L. ruminis has previously been restricted to strains of human and bovine origin. We therefore sought to expand our bio-bank of strains to identify and characterise isolates of porcine and equine origin by comparative genomics. We isolated five strains from the faeces of horses and two strains from pigs, and compared their motility, biochemistry and genetic relatedness to six human isolates and three bovine isolates including the type strain 27780(T). Multilocus sequence typing analysis based on concatenated sequence data for six individual loci separated the 16 L. ruminis strains into three clades concordant with human, bovine or porcine, and equine sources. Sequencing the genomes of four additional strains of human, bovine, equine and porcine origin revealed a high level of genome synteny, independent of the source animal. Analysis of carbohydrate utilization, stress survival and technological robustness in a combined panel of sixteen L. ruminis isolates identified strains with optimal survival characteristics suitable for future investigation as candidate probiotics. Under laboratory conditions, six human isolates of L. ruminis tested were aflagellate and non-motile, whereas all 10 strains of bovine, equine and porcine origin were motile. Interestingly the equine and porcine strains were hyper-flagellated compared to bovine isolates, and this hyper-flagellate phenotype correlated with the ability to swarm on solid medium containing up to 1.8% agar. Analysis by RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR identified genes for the biosynthesis of flagella, genes for carbohydrate metabolism and genes of unknown function that were differentially expressed in swarming cells of an equine isolate of L. ruminis. We suggest that Lactobacillus ruminis isolates have potential to be used in the functional food industry. We

Chemical and serologic definition of two unique D region-encoded molecules in the wild-derived mouse strain B10.GAA37.

Science.gov (United States)

Lillehoj, E P; Walsh, W D; Potter, T; Lee, D R; Coligan, J E; Hansen, T H

1984-12-01

Detailed serologic and biochemical characterization of D region products of the wild-derived mouse strain B10.GAA37 (Dw16) were performed and compared with previous studies of the D region products of the H-2d,b, and q haplotypes. Serologic analysis revealed that the antigens encoded by the Dw16 region express a unique combination of specificities defined by monoclonal antibodies (mAb) with established activity for the Ld and Dd molecules. Two out of five anti-Ld-reactive mAb reacted with B10.GAA37 cells, whereas one of three anti-Dd mAb showed B10.GAA37 reactivity. Sequential immunoprecipitation of B10.GAA37 antigens demonstrated the existence of at least two antigenically distinct molecules (designated Dw16 and Lw16) encoded by genes associated with the Dw16 region. Peptide map comparisons of the Dw16 and Lw16 molecules defined multiple differences in their primary protein structure, suggesting they are products of separate genes. Structural comparisons of the Lw16 and Dw16 molecules with the Ld and Dd molecules implied a) that the Dw16 and Dd regions did not result from a recent evolutionary divergence of a common primordial haplotype, and b) that the Lw16 and Dw16 molecules are more structurally homologous to each other than the Ld and Dd molecules are. Comparison of these findings with our previous studies of antigens encoded by the D regions suggest that each of these haplotypes has unique properties in terms of the number of gene products expressed and/or the structural relatedness of products of the same region.

KERAGAAN PERTUMBUHAN BENIH IKAN MAS (Cyprinus carpio STRAIN MAJALAYA, LOKAL BOGOR DAN RAJADANU DI KOLAM CIJERUK, BOGOR-JAWA BARAT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Otong Zenal Arifin

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendapatkan strain ikan mas yang memiliki keragaan pertumbuhan yang baik sebagai spesies kandidat untuk program seleksi. Tiga strain ikan mas (majalaya, lokal Bogor, dan rajadanu dipelihara dalam jaring yang diletakkan di kolam Instalasi Penelitian Cijeruk, Bogor selama 6 minggu. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tidak ada perbedaan nyata untuk parameter pertambahan bobot dan sintasan dari 3 strain ikan mas yang diuji, sedangkan untuk pertambahan panjang individual (mm per bulan ada perbedaan yang sangat nyata (P<0,05. Strain ikan mas rajadanu memiliki pertambahan panjang terbaik (16,0 ± 1,41 dan berbeda dengan majalaya (10,3 ± 4,50 serta lokal (10,8 ± 2,06. Objective of this study is to produce good performance of common carp by comparing three promising strains majalaya, local, and rajadanu. The study was carry out using floating net cages placed in earthen pond at The Cijeruk Germ Plasm Research Station. During the study, growth and survival rate were observed were observed for six weeks. The results indicated there was no significant difference for growth of weight and survival rate. However, growth of standard length was significantly different (P<0.05. Rajadanu made the best growth of standard length (16.0 ± 1.41 and was different from majalaya (10.3 ± 4.50 and local strain (10.8 ± 2.06.

The stability of retained austenite at different locations during straining of I&Q&P steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Chenghao [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083 (China); Yu, Hao, E-mail: yuhao@ustb.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083 (China); Li, Lili; Zhou, Tao; Lu, Jun [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083 (China); Liu, Xihui [Qingzhou Construction Quality and Safety Supervision Station, Shandong 262500 (China)

2016-07-18

This paper presents a detailed investigation of the transformation behavior of retained austenite at different locations of intercritical heating, quenching and partitioning (I&Q&P) steel. The consumption of retained austenite at different strains is investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results indicate that retained austenite can transform into martensite progressively during the whole deformation process, which is in favor of a good combination of strength and ductility, contributing to a high product of strength and elongation (PSE) of 31.9 GPa%. The transformation characteristics of retained austenite at different locations after different strains are characterized by electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results show that the transformation preferentially occurs in the retained austenite at ferrite grain boundaries, subsequently the one within ferrite grains (at 10% strain) and eventually the one between martensite laths (at 15% strain). In FCC phase, the average local misorientations are 0.547° and 0.674° at 5% and 10% strain, respectively; however, the values are not more than 0.7° at 15% and 20% strain due to the TRIP effect. For the retained austenite within ferrite grains, the interior part preferentially transforms into twin martensite, while the interface still remains due to alloying elements segregation.

Genetic diversity among major endemic strains of Leptospira interrogans in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Zhi-Ming

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Leptospirosis is a world-widely distributed zoonosis. Humans become infected via exposure to pathogenic Leptospira spp. from contaminated water or soil. The availability of genomic sequences of Leptospira interrogans serovar Lai and serovar Copenhageni opened up opportunities to identify genetic diversity among different pathogenic strains of L. interrogans representing various kinds of serotypes (serogroups and serovars. Results Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH analysis was used to compare the gene content of L. interrogans serovar Lai strain Lai with that of other 10 L. interrogans strains prevailed in China and one identified from Brazil using a microarray spotted with 3,528 protein coding sequences (CDSs of strain Lai. The cutoff ratio of sample/reference (S/R hybridization for detecting the absence of genes from one tested strain was set by comparing the ratio of S/R hybridization and the in silico sequence similarities of strain Lai and serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130. Among the 11 strains tested, 275 CDSs were found absent from at least one strain. The common backbone of the L. interrogans genome was estimated to contain about 2,917 CDSs. The genes encoding fundamental cellular functions such as translation, energy production and conversion were conserved. While strain-specific genes include those that encode proteins related to either cell surface structures or carbohydrate transport and metabolism. We also found two genomic islands (GIs in strain Lai containing genes divergently absent in other strains. Because genes encoding proteins with potential pathogenic functions are located within GIs, these elements might contribute to the variations in disease manifestation. Differences in genes involved in O-antigen biosynthesis were also identified for strains belonging to different serogroups, which offers an opportunity for future development of genomic typing tools for serological classification

Rat Strain Ontology: structured controlled vocabulary designed to facilitate access to strain data at RGD.

Science.gov (United States)

Nigam, Rajni; Munzenmaier, Diane H; Worthey, Elizabeth A; Dwinell, Melinda R; Shimoyama, Mary; Jacob, Howard J

2013-11-22

The Rat Genome Database (RGD) ( http://rgd.mcw.edu/) is the premier site for comprehensive data on the different strains of the laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus). The strain data are collected from various publications, direct submissions from individual researchers, and rat providers worldwide. Rat strain, substrain designation and nomenclature follow the Guidelines for Nomenclature of Mouse and Rat Strains, instituted by the International Committee on Standardized Genetic Nomenclature for Mice. While symbols and names aid in identifying strains correctly, the flat nature of this information prohibits easy search and retrieval, as well as other data mining functions. In order to improve these functionalities, particularly in ontology-based tools, the Rat Strain Ontology (RS) was developed. The Rat Strain Ontology (RS) reflects the breeding history, parental background, and genetic manipulation of rat strains. This controlled vocabulary organizes strains by type: inbred, outbred, chromosome altered, congenic, mutant and so on. In addition, under the chromosome altered category, strains are organized by chromosome, and further by type of manipulations, such as mutant or congenic. This allows users to easily retrieve strains of interest with modifications in specific genomic regions. The ontology was developed using the Open Biological and Biomedical Ontology (OBO) file format, and is organized on the Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) structure. Rat Strain Ontology IDs are included as part of the strain report (RS: ######). As rat researchers are often unaware of the number of substrains or altered strains within a breeding line, this vocabulary now provides an easy way to retrieve all substrains and accompanying information. Its usefulness is particularly evident in tools such as the PhenoMiner at RGD, where users can now easily retrieve phenotype measurement data for related strains, strains with similar backgrounds or those with similar introgressed regions. This

[Production of pertussis toxin by Bordetella pertussis strains isolated from patients with whooping cough].

Science.gov (United States)

Zaĭtsev, E M; Mertsalova, N U; Shinkarev, A S; Mazurova, I K; Zakharova, N S

2011-01-01

To assess level of pertussin toxin (PT) production by vaccine strains of Bordetella pertussis and strains isolated from patients with whooping cough. Concentration of PT in supernatants of microbial cultures of 3 vaccine strains and 25 strains of B. pertussis isolated from patients with pertussis in 2001 - 2005 was measured with enzyme immunoassay using gamma-globulin fractions of rabbit antiserum to PT as immunosorbent or included in peroxidase conjugates. Level of PT production by strains isolated from infected persons varied from 3 +/- 0.5 to 64.8 +/- 12.2 ng/MFU/ml: in 9 strains--from 3 +/- 0.5 to 9.4 +/- 2.1 ng/MFU/ml, in 7--10.5 +/- 1.8 to 18.4 +/- 2.6 ng/MFU/ml, and in 9--23.6 +/- 4.5 to 64.8 +/- 12.2 ng/MFU/ml. B. pertussis strains isolated from patients were heterogeneous on level of PT production. Difference in expression of PT between strains were as high as 20-fold. Conditionally low, moderate and high levels of PT production had 9 (36%), 7 (28%), and 9 (36%) of 25 studied strains. Three vaccine strains had levels of toxin production similar to recently isolated strains with moderate level of its production.

Rapid Evaluation of Bacteriolysis of Listeria innocua and L. welshimeri Strains Isolated from Foods

OpenAIRE

ÇETİNKAYA, Figen; ÇIBIK, Recep

2014-01-01

This study was performed to determine the bacteriolytic extent of 10 strains of Listeria innocua and 9 strains of L. welshimeri isolated from foods. Bacteriolysis was measured at 650 nm by spectrophotometer. For this purpose, late exponential phase cells were transferred into potassium phosphate buffer (100 mM, pH 7.0) and incubated at 37 ºC. While the bacteriolysis range of L. innocua strains was 48% to 76% after 48 h of incubation, L. welshimeri isolates exhibited broader bacteriolytic vari...

Effects of Strain Rate and Temperature on the Mechanical Properties of Medium Manganese Steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rana, Radhakanta [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Matlock, David K [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Speer, John G [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); De Moor, Emmanuel [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)

2016-11-16

The effects of temperature (-60 to 100 °C) and strain rate (0.002 to 0.2 s-1) on the properties of Al-alloyed 7 and 10 wt-% Mn steels containing 34.8 and 57.3 vol-% austenite respectively were evaluated by tensile tests in isothermal liquid baths. The tensile strengths of both medium Mn steels increased with a decrease in temperature owing to the decreased austenite stability with a decrease in temperature. At lower temperatures the strength of the 10MnAl steel was highest, a consequence of the higher strain hardening rate caused by more austenite transformation to martensite with deformation. The resulting properties are assessed with a consideration of the effects of strain rate and deformation on adiabatic heating which was observed to be as high as 95o C.

Research on the novel FBG detection system for temperature and strain field distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhi-chao; Yang, Jin-hua

2017-10-01

In order to collect the information of temperature and strain field distribution information, the novel FBG detection system was designed. The system applied linear chirped FBG structure for large bandwidth. The structure of novel FBG cover was designed as a linear change in thickness, in order to have a different response at different locations. It can obtain the temperature and strain field distribution information by reflection spectrum simultaneously. The structure of novel FBG cover was designed, and its theoretical function is calculated. Its solution is derived for strain field distribution. By simulation analysis the change trend of temperature and strain field distribution were analyzed in the conditions of different strain strength and action position, the strain field distribution can be resolved. The FOB100 series equipment was used to test the temperature in experiment, and The JSM-A10 series equipment was used to test the strain field distribution in experiment. The average error of experimental results was better than 1.1% for temperature, and the average error of experimental results was better than 1.3% for strain. There were individual errors when the strain was small in test data. It is feasibility by theoretical analysis, simulation calculation and experiment, and it is very suitable for application practice.

Standard test methods for performance characteristics of metallic bonded resistance strain gages

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

1992-01-01

1.1 The purpose of this standard is to provide uniform test methods for the determination of strain gauge performance characteristics. Suggested testing equipment designs are included. 1.2 Test Methods E 251 describes methods and procedures for determining five strain gauge parameters: Section Part I—General Requirements 7 Part II—Resistance at a Reference Temperature 8 Part III—Gauge Factor at a Reference Temperature 9 Part IV—Temperature Coefficient of Gauge Factor\t10 Part V—Transverse Sensitivity\t11 Part VI—Thermal Output\t12 1.3 Strain gauges are very sensitive devices with essentially infinite resolution. Their response to strain, however, is low and great care must be exercised in their use. The performance characteristics identified by these test methods must be known to an acceptable accuracy to obtain meaningful results in field applications. 1.3.1 Strain gauge resistance is used to balance instrumentation circuits and to provide a reference value for measurements since all data are...

InSAR Time Series Analysis of Dextral Strain Partitioning Across the Burma Plate

Science.gov (United States)

Reitman, N. G.; Wang, Y.; Lin, N.; Lindsey, E. O.; Mueller, K. J.

2017-12-01

Oblique convergence between the India and Sunda plates creates partitioning of strike-slip and compressional strain across the Burma plate. GPS data indicate up to 40 mm/yr (Steckler et al 2016) of dextral strain exists between the India and Sunda plates. The Sagaing fault in Myanmar accommodates 20 mm/yr at the eastern boundary of the Burma plate, but the location and magnitude of dextral strain on other faults remains an open question, as does the relative importance of seismic vs aseismic processes. The remaining 20 mm/yr of dextral strain may be accommodated on one or two faults or widely distributed on faults across the Burma plate, scenarios that have a major impact on seismic hazard. However, the dense GPS data necessary for precise determination of which faults accommodate how much strain do not exist yet. Previous studies using GPS data ascribe 10-18 mm/yr dextral strain on the Churachandpur Mao fault in India (Gahaluat et al 2013, Steckler et al 2016) and 18-22 mm/yr on the northern Sagaing fault (Maurin et al 2010, Steckler et al 2016), leaving up to 10 mm/yr unconstrained. Several of the GPS results are suggestive of shallow aseismic slip along parts of these faults, which, if confirmed, would have a significant impact on our understanding of hazard in the area. Here, we use differential InSAR analyzed in time series to investigate dextral strain on the Churachandpur Mao fault and across the Burma plate. Ascending ALOS-1 imagery spanning 2007-2010 were processed in time series for three locations. Offsets in phase and a strong gradient in line-of-sight deformation rate are observed across the Churachandpur Mao fault, and work is ongoing to determine if these are produced by shallow fault movement, topographic effects, or both. The results of this study will provide further constraints for strain rate on the Churachandpur Mao fault, and yield a more complete understanding of strain partitioning across the Burma plate.

Exploring the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Volatile Metabolome: Indigenous versus Commercial Strains

Science.gov (United States)

Alves, Zélia; Melo, André; Figueiredo, Ana Raquel; Coimbra, Manuel A.; Gomes, Ana C.; Rocha, Sílvia M.

2015-01-01

Winemaking is a highly industrialized process and a number of commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains are used around the world, neglecting the diversity of native yeast strains that are responsible for the production of wines peculiar flavours. The aim of this study was to in-depth establish the S. cerevisiae volatile metabolome and to assess inter-strains variability. To fulfill this objective, two indigenous strains (BT2652 and BT2453 isolated from spontaneous fermentation of grapes collected in Bairrada Appellation, Portugal) and two commercial strains (CSc1 and CSc2) S. cerevisiae were analysed using a methodology based on advanced multidimensional gas chromatography (HS-SPME/GC×GC-ToFMS) tandem with multivariate analysis. A total of 257 volatile metabolites were identified, distributed over the chemical families of acetals, acids, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, terpenic compounds, esters, ethers, furan-type compounds, hydrocarbons, pyrans, pyrazines and S-compounds. Some of these families are related with metabolic pathways of amino acid, carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism as well as mono and sesquiterpenic biosynthesis. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used with a dataset comprising all variables (257 volatile components), and a distinction was observed between commercial and indigenous strains, which suggests inter-strains variability. In a second step, a subset containing esters and terpenic compounds (C10 and C15), metabolites of particular relevance to wine aroma, was also analysed using PCA. The terpenic and ester profiles express the strains variability and their potential contribution to the wine aromas, specially the BT2453, which produced the higher terpenic content. This research contributes to understand the metabolic diversity of indigenous wine microflora versus commercial strains and achieved knowledge that may be further exploited to produce wines with peculiar aroma properties. PMID:26600152

Variation in the strain anisotropy of Zircaloy with temperature and strain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hindle, E.D.; Worswick, D.

1984-01-01

The strong crystallographic texture which is developed during the fabrication of zirconium-based alloys causes pronounced anisotropy in their mechanical properties, particularly deformation. The tendency for circular-section tension specimens with a high concentration of basal poles in one direction to become elliptical when deformed in tension has been used in this study to provide quantitative data on the effects of both strain and temperature on strain anisotropy. Tension tests were carried out over a temperature range of 293 to 1193 K on specimens machined from Zircaloy-2 plate. The strain anisotropy was found to increase markedly at temperatures over 923 K, reaching a maximum in the region of 1070 K. The strain anisotropy increased with increasing strain in this temperature region. The study was extended to Zircaloy-4 pressurized-water reactor fuel cladding by carrying out tube swelling tests and evaluating the axial deformation produced. Although scatter in the test results was higher than that exhibited in the tension tests, the general trend in the data was similar. The effects of the strain anisotropy observed are discussed in relation to the effects of temperature on the ductility of Zircaloy fuel cladding tubes during postulated largebreak loss-of-coolant accidents

Molecular and biochemical studies of some yeast strains

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

2011-02-21

Feb 21, 2011 ... Kluyveromyces lactis (Y.9) and Pichia jadinii (Y.10) contained almost double the amount of total amino ... Differences between ... biochemical analysis (total protein profile and total amino acids) were used as tools to select the best yeast strains in Saudi Arabia and Egypt as a rich source of animal protein.

Psychosocial Job Strain and Sleep Quality Interaction Leading to Insufficient Recovery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leif W. Rydstedt

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of job strain and sleep quality on the diurnal pattern of cortisol reactivity, measured by awakening and evening (10 PM saliva cortisol. The sample consisted of 76 British white-collar workers (24 women, 52 men; mean age 45.8 years. Sleep quality and job strain were assessed in a survey distributed just before the cortisol sampling. Both input variables were dichotomized about the median and factorial ANOVA was used for the statistical analysis. Low sleep quality was significantly associated with lower morning cortisol secretion. While job strain had no main effects on the cortisol reactivity there was a significant interaction effect between the input variables on morning cortisol secretion. These findings tentatively support the hypothesis that lack of sleep for workers with high job strain may result in a flattened diurnal cortisol reactivity.

Optical investigation of strain in Si-doped GaN films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanchez-Paramo, J.; Calleja, J. M.; Sanchez-Garcia, M. A.; Calleja, E.

2001-06-25

The effects of Si doping on the growth mode and residual strain of GaN layers grown on Si(111) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy are studied by Raman scattering and photoluminescence. As the Si concentration increases a progressive decrease of the high-energy E{sub 2} mode frequency is observed, together with a redshift of the excitonic emission. Both effects indicate an enhancement of the biaxial tensile strain of thermal origin for increasing doping level, which is confirmed by x-ray diffraction measurements. Beyond Si concentrations of 5{times}10{sup 18}cm{sup {minus}3} both the phonon frequency and the exciton emission energy increase again. This change indicates a partial strain relaxation due to a change in the growth mode. {copyright} 2001 American Institute of Physics.

Influence of mechanical strain on magnetic characteristics of spin valves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ac, V; Anwarzai, B; Luby, S; Majkova, E

2008-01-01

Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) of Co and Fe-Co based e-beam evaporated spin valves with Cu and Au spacers was studied. The effect of strain on samples, which is detrimental in standard GMR sensors, was measured in a bending configuration. The different dependences of coercivity H c and magnetic field H ip in the point of inflection of MR loops vs. strain were found. For sample with Co/Au/Co core, H c , H ip increase with increasing compressive stress, whereas for sample with FeCo/Cu/Co core they increase with tensile stress. The highest relative change of MR ratio vs. bending in the strain interval ± 300 x 10 -6 is 1-2 % of the basic magnetoresistance and, practically, it does not influence the SV output

Sweet and bitter taste of ethanol in C57BL/6J and DBA2/J mouse strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Blizard, David A

2007-01-01

Studies of inbred strains of rats and mice have suggested a positive association between strain variations in sweet taste and ethanol intake. However, strain associations by themselves are insufficient to support a functional link between taste and ethanol intake. We used conditioned taste aversion (CTA) to explore the sweet and bitter taste of ethanol and ability to detect sucrose, quinine and ethanol in C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) mouse strains that are frequently used in alcohol research. The present study showed that C57BL/6J mice generalized taste aversions from sucrose and quinine solutions to 10% ethanol and, reciprocally, aversions to 10% ethanol generalized to each of these solutions presented separately. Only conditioned aversions to quinine generalized to ethanol in the DBA/2J strain but an aversion conditioned to ethanol did not generalize reciprocally to quinine. Thus, considering these two gustatory qualities, 10% ethanol tastes both sweet and bitter to B6 mice but only bitter to D2. Both strains were able to generalize taste aversions across different concentrations of the same compound. B6 were able to detect lower concentrations of quinine than D2 but both strains were able to detect sucrose and (in contrast to previous findings) ethanol at similar concentrations. The strain-dependent gustatory profiles for ethanol may make an important contribution to the understanding of the undoubtedly complex mechanisms influencing high ethanol preference of B6 and pronounced ethanol avoidance of D2 mice.

Three dimensional strained semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Voss, Lars; Conway, Adam; Nikolic, Rebecca J.; Leao, Cedric Rocha; Shao, Qinghui

2016-11-08

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a three dimensional structure comprising a semiconductor material, and at least one thin film in contact with at least one exterior surface of the three dimensional structure for inducing a strain in the structure, the thin film being characterized as providing at least one of: an induced strain of at least 0.05%, and an induced strain in at least 5% of a volume of the three dimensional structure. In another embodiment, a method includes forming a three dimensional structure comprising a semiconductor material, and depositing at least one thin film on at least one surface of the three dimensional structure for inducing a strain in the structure, the thin film being characterized as providing at least one of: an induced strain of at least 0.05%, and an induced strain in at least 5% of a volume of the structure.

Hamstring strain - aftercare

Science.gov (United States)

Pulled hamstring muscle; Sprain - hamstring ... There are 3 levels of hamstring strains: Grade 1 -- mild muscle strain or pull Grade 2 -- partial muscle tear Grade 3 -- complete muscle tear Recovery time depends ...

Strain-Modulated Epitaxy

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Brown, April

1999-01-01

Strain-Modulated Epitaxy (SME) is a novel approach, invented at Georgia Tech, to utilize subsurface stressors to control strain and therefore material properties and growth kinetics in the material above the stressors...

Effect of the Strain Rate on the Tensile Properties of the AZ31 Magnesium Alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Seunghun; Park, Jiyoun; Choi, Ildong; Park, Sung Hyuk

2013-01-01

The effect of the strain rate at a range of 10‒4 ⁓ 3 × 10"2s"-1 on the tensile characteristics of a rolled AZ31 magnesium alloy was studied. The normal tensile specimens were tested using a high rate hydraulic testing machine. Specimens were machined from four sheets with different thicknesses, 1, 1.5, 2 and 3 mm, along three directions, 0°, 45°, and 90° to the rolling direction. The results revealed that all the specimens had a positive strain rate sensitivity of strength, that is, the strength increased with increasing strain rate. This is the same tendency as other automotive steels have. Our results suggest that the AZ31 magnesium alloy has better collision characteristics at high strain rates because of improved strength with an increasing strain rate. Ductility decreased with an increasing strain rate with a strain rate under 1 s"-1, but it increased with an increasing strain rate over 1 s"-1. The mechanical properties of the AZ31 magnesium alloy depend on the different microstructures according to the thickness. Two and 3 mm thickness specimens with a coarse and non-uniform grain structure exhibited worse mechanical properties while the 1.5 mm thickness specimens with a fine and uniform grain structure had better mechanical properties. Specimens machined at 0° and 45° to the rolling direction had higher absorbed energy than that of the 90° specimen. Thus, we demonstrate it is necessary to choose materials with proper thickness and machining direction for use in automotive applications.

Grain tracing and strain determination in a Be compact tension specimen using synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varma, R.; Green, R.; Garcia, M.D.; Satyam, P.V.; Yun, W.B.; Maser, J.; Kai, Z.; Lai, B.; Sinha, S.K.

1999-01-01

X-ray synchrotron radiation of high (11 KeV) energy and high flux (10 10 photons per square centimeter per second) has been used to measure strains and polycrystallinity in 6-mm thick polycrystalline beryllium compact tension (CT) specimens at and around the crack tip (for fatigue-precracked sample) or at chevron notch point under load or no-load conditions. The authors demonstrated the feasibility strain field mapping as well as determining the polycrystallinity at or near the points of maximum load in beryllium CT specimens. The experimental techniques and results will be discussed

Selection of Trichogramma strains and determination of number of parasitoids to be released to control Gymnandrosoma aurantianum Lima (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molina, Rosa Maria da Silva; Parra, Jose Roberto Postali

2006-01-01

In order to select Trichogramma strains to control G. aurantianum, the biological characteristics of 13 Trichogramma species/strains were evaluated. After selection, the ideal number of T. pretiosum (G18 strain) to be released per G. aurantianum egg was determined in greenhouse tests. The selection test for species/strains was carried out in an incubator adjusted to 25 +- 1 deg C, RH 70 +- 10%, and a 14 h photo phase. The ideal number of parasitoids was estimated in cages covered with a piece of voile-type fabric. The cycle duration for the 13 Trichogramma species/strains varied from 10.2 to 11.9 days. The Atp strain (T. atopovirilia) showed greater parasitism capacity, with an average of 23.3 parasitized eggs and 77.5% parasitism in 24 hours. The G18 strain (T. pretiosum) came next, with an average of 16.8 parasitized eggs and 56.1% parasitism during the same time interval. The emergency, longevity of males, and sex ratio for the 13 species/strains were similar. The number of adults emerged per egg was 1.8 for strains G11 (T. pretiosum) and Br10 (T. bruni), which were different from the G3 strain (T. pretiosum) only, with 1.3 adults per egg. With regard to female longevity, distinct values were observed only between T. pretiosum strains Tp and L2, with 6.3 and 9.3 days, respectively. Under greenhouse conditions, the estimated ratio of 36 T. pretiosum parasitoids per G. aurantianum egg allowed the highest percentage of parasitism (89%). Therefore, Trichogramma spp. has a potential to control G. aurantianum, as long as a large number of parasitoids is released per unit area. (author)

Methodology to measure strains at high temperatures using electrical strain gages with free filaments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atanazio Filho, Nelson N.; Gomes, Paulo T. Vida; Scaldaferri, Denis H.B.; Silva, Luiz L. da; Rabello, Emerson G.; Mansur, Tanius R.

2013-01-01

An experimental methodology used for strains measuring at high temperatures is show in this work. In order to do the measurements, it was used electric strain gages with loose filaments attached to a stainless steel 304 beam with specific cements. The beam has triangular shape and a constant thickness, so the strain is the same along its length. Unless the beam surface be carefully prepared, the strain gage attachment is not efficient. The showed results are for temperatures ranging from 20 deg C to 300 deg C, but the experimental methodology could be used to measure strains at a temperature up to 900 deg C. Analytical calculations based on solid mechanics were used to verify the strain gage electrical installation and the measured strains. At a first moment, beam deformations as a temperature function were plotted. After that, beam deformations with different weighs were plotted as a temperature function. The results shown allowed concluding that the experimental methodology is trustable to measure strains at temperatures up to 300 deg C. (author)

Measuring Local Strain Rates In Ductile Shear Zones: A New Approach From Deformed Syntectonic Dykes

Science.gov (United States)

Sassier, C.; Leloup, P.; Rubatto, D.; Galland, O.; Yue, Y.; Ding, L.

2006-12-01

At the Earth surface, deformation is mostly localized in fault zones in between tectonic plates. In the upper crust, the deformation is brittle and the faults are narrow and produce earthquakes. In contrast, deformation in the lower ductile crust results in larger shear zones. While it is relatively easy to measure in situ deformation rates at the surface using for example GPS data, it is more difficult to determinate in situ values of strain rate in the ductile crust. Such strain rates can only be estimated in paleo-shear zones. Various methods have been used to assess paleo-strain rates in paleo-shear zones. For instance, cooling and/or decompression rates associated with assumptions on geothermic gradients and shear zone geometry can lead to such estimates. Another way to estimate strain rates is the integration of paleo-stress measurements in a power flow law. But these methods are indirect and imply strong assumptions. Dating of helicitic garnets or syntectonic fibres are more direct estimates. However these last techniques have been only applied in zones of low deformation and not in major shear zones. We propose a new direct method to measure local strain rates in major ductile shear zones from syntectonic dykes by coupling quantification of deformation and geochronology. We test our method in a major shear zone in a well constrained tectonic setting: the Ailao-Shan - Red River Shear Zone (ASRRsz) located in SE Asia. For this 10 km wide shear zone, large-scale fault rates, determined in three independent ways, imply strain rates between 1.17×10^{-13 s-1 and 1.52×10^{-13 s-1 between 35 and 16 Ma. Our study focused on one outcrop where different generations of syntectonic dykes are observed. First, we quantified the minimum shear strain γ for each dyke using several methods: (1) by measuring the stretching of dykes with a surface restoration method (2) by measuring the final angle of the dykes with respect to the shear direction and (3) by combining the two

Effect of strain on the critical-current density of Cu-Nb composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, J.D.; Rose, R.M.

1987-01-01

Microfilamentary superconducting composites of Nb fibers in Cu matrices prepared by the stack and draw method were tested for tensile critical-current performance at 4.2 K. The superconducting critical-current densities increased exponentially under the influence of an applied mechanical strain until the onset of Nb fiber plastic deformation. In the elastic range, the critical-current densities conformed to log 10 J/sub c/ = m (strain)+b. In several tests the critical current was increased by more than an order of magnitude by the applied strain. This behavior is consistent with an increase in the upper critical field of the Nb fibers by the applied stress

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery-Laboratory Experiments with a Strain of Clostridium tyrobutyricum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jimoh, Ismaila Adetunji

the desired metabolic products needed for enhanced oil recovery. In this study, experiments have been performed with a strain of Clostridium tyrobutyricum. The experiments focused on salinity adaptation, gas production and the ability of microbes to modify rock properties. The result of the experiments showed...... that the strain of Clostridium tyrobutyricum adapted to 10, 30, 50, and 90 g/l before the start of the experiments produce more gas with an increase factor of between 0.39-6.9 for the same salinity condition than the pure culture. The adaptation process also led to the production of a strain 90F which can grow...

Strain rate dependency of bovine trabecular bone under impact loading at sideways fall velocity.

Science.gov (United States)

Enns-Bray, William S; Ferguson, Stephen J; Helgason, Benedikt

2018-05-03

There is currently a knowledge gap in scientific literature concerning the strain rate dependent properties of trabecular bone at intermediate strain rates. Meanwhile, strain rates between 10 and 200/s have been observed in previous dynamic finite element models of the proximal femur loaded at realistic sideways fall speeds. This study aimed to quantify the effect of strain rate (ε̇) on modulus of elasticity (E), ultimate stress (σ u ), failure energy (U f ), and minimum stress (σ m ) of trabecular bone in order to improve the biofidelity of material properties used in dynamic simulations of sideways fall loading on the hip. Cylindrical cores of trabecular bone (D = 8 mm, L gauge  = 16 mm, n = 34) from bovine proximal tibiae and distal femurs were scanned in µCT (10 µm), quantifying apparent density (ρ app ) and degree of anisotropy (DA), and subsequently impacted within a miniature drop tower. Force of impact was measured using a piezoelectric load cell (400 kHz), while displacement during compression was measured from high speed video (50,000 frames/s). Four groups, with similar density distributions, were loaded at different impact velocities (0.84, 1.33, 1.75, and 2.16 m/s) with constant kinetic energy (0.4 J) by adjusting the impact mass. The mean strain rates of each group were significantly different (p < 0.05) except for the two fastest impact speeds (p = 0.09). Non-linear regression models correlated strain rate, DA, and ρ app with ultimate stress (R 2  = 0.76), elastic modulus (R 2  = 0.63), failure energy (R 2  = 0.38), and minimum stress (R 2  = 0.57). These results indicate that previous estimates of σ u could be under predicting the mechanical properties at strain rates above 10/s. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High strain amount in recessed junctions induced by selectively deposited boron-doped SiGe layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radamson, H.H.; Kolahdouz, M.; Ghandi, R.; Ostling, M.

2008-01-01

This work presents the selective epitaxial growth (SEG) of Si 1-x Ge x (x = 0.15-0.315) layers with high amount of boron (1 x 10 20 -1 x 10 21 cm -3 ) in recessed or unprocessed (elevated) openings for source/drain applications in CMOS has been studied. The influence of the growth rate and strain on boron incorporation has been studied. A focus has been made on the strain distribution and boron incorporation in SEG of SiGe layers

Analysis of the genome-wide variations among multiple strains of the plant pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walker M Andrew

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Gram-negative, xylem-limited phytopathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is responsible for causing economically important diseases in grapevine, citrus and many other plant species. Despite its economic impact, relatively little is known about the genomic variations among strains isolated from different hosts and their influence on the population genetics of this pathogen. With the availability of genome sequence information for four strains, it is now possible to perform genome-wide analyses to identify and categorize such DNA variations and to understand their influence on strain functional divergence. Results There are 1,579 genes and 194 non-coding homologous sequences present in the genomes of all four strains, representing a 76. 2% conservation of the sequenced genome. About 60% of the X. fastidiosa unique sequences exist as tandem gene clusters of 6 or more genes. Multiple alignments identified 12,754 SNPs and 14,449 INDELs in the 1528 common genes and 20,779 SNPs and 10,075 INDELs in the 194 non-coding sequences. The average SNP frequency was 1.08 × 10-2 per base pair of DNA and the average INDEL frequency was 2.06 × 10-2 per base pair of DNA. On an average, 60.33% of the SNPs were synonymous type while 39.67% were non-synonymous type. The mutation frequency, primarily in the form of external INDELs was the main type of sequence variation. The relative similarity between the strains was discussed according to the INDEL and SNP differences. The number of genes unique to each strain were 60 (9a5c, 54 (Dixon, 83 (Ann1 and 9 (Temecula-1. A sub-set of the strain specific genes showed significant differences in terms of their codon usage and GC composition from the native genes suggesting their xenologous origin. Tandem repeat analysis of the genomic sequences of the four strains identified associations of repeat sequences with hypothetical and phage related functions. Conclusion INDELs and strain specific genes

Studies on Drosophila radiosensitivity strains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varentsova, E.R.; Sharygin, V.I.; Khromykh, Yu.U.

1985-01-01

Fertility of radiosensitive mutant drosophila female strain rad (2) 201 61 after irradiation and frequency of dominant lethal mutations (DLM), induced by γ-radiation for 0-5 h and 5-7 days, are investigated. It is shown, that oocytes of the mutant strain are more radiosensitive as compared with cells of mongrel flies as to criterion of DLM appearance over the period of maturing. Early oocytes of stages 2-7 are the most sensitive, i.e. at the stages, corresponding to the manifestation of previously established recombination-defective properties of mutations rad (2) 201 61 . It is also sown, that doses of γ-rays, exceeding 10 Gy produce a strong sterilizing effect on mutant females due to destruction and resorption of egg chambers, irradiated at the stages of previtellogenetic growth of oocytes. In females, carrying mutation of radiosensitivity there is no direct correlation betwen sensitivity of oocytes proper to DLM induction and sensitivity of egg folleicles to resorbing effect of γ-rays. The ways of possible involvement of mutant locus studied into genetic processes in various specialized cells of drosophila

Toxic cyanobacteria strains isolated from blooms in the Guadiana River (southwestern Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ISABEL M MORENO

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the occurrence of toxic cyanobacteria along the Guadiana River over its course between Mérida and Badajoz (Extremadura, Spain. Water sampling for phytoplankton quantification and toxin analysis was carried out regularly between 1999 and 2001 in six different locations, including two shallow, slow-flowing river sites, two streamed river sites and two drinking water reservoirs. The cyanobacterial community differed significantly between these locations, especially during the summer. The predominant genera were Microcystis, Oscillatoria, Aphanizomenon and Anabaena. Using an ELISA assay the total microcystin contents of natural water samples from the most eutrophic locations ranged from 0.10 _ 21.86 mg mcyst-LR equivalent·L-1 in Valdelacalzada and 0.10-11.3 µg mcyst-LR equivalent·L-1 in Vitonogales, and a seasonal variation of toxin content was observed. The amount of microcystins produced by each strain was determined by ELISA assay and the detection and identification of microcystin variants of three toxic strains of Microcystis aeruginosa was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC. The analysis of microcystins of the cultured strains revealed that toxin production was variable among different strains of M. aeruginosa isolated either from different blooms or from the same bloom.

Volatile emissions from Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis mirror bacterial growth and enable distinction of different strains.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Phillip Trefz

Full Text Available Control of paratuberculosis in livestock is hampered by the low sensitivity of established direct and indirect diagnostic methods. Like other bacteria, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs. Differences of VOC patterns in breath and feces of infected and not infected animals were described in first pilot experiments but detailed information on potential marker substances is missing. This study was intended to look for characteristic volatile substances in the headspace of cultures of different MAP strains and to find out how the emission of VOCs was affected by density of bacterial growth. One laboratory adapted and four field strains, three of MAP C-type and one MAP S-type were cultivated on Herrold's egg yolk medium in dilutions of 10(-0, 10(-2, 10(-4 and 10(-6. Volatile substances were pre-concentrated from the headspace over the MAP cultures by means of Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME, thermally desorbed from the SPME fibers and separated and identified by means of GC-MS. Out of the large number of compounds found in the headspace over MAP cultures, 34 volatile marker substances could be identified as potential biomarkers for growth and metabolic activity. All five MAP strains could clearly be distinguished from blank culture media by means of emission patterns based on these 34 substances. In addition, patterns of volatiles emitted by the reference strain were significantly different from the field strains. Headspace concentrations of 2-ethylfuran, 2-methylfuran, 3-methylfuran, 2-pentylfuran, ethyl acetate, 1-methyl-1-H-pyrrole and dimethyldisulfide varied with density of bacterial growth. Analysis of VOCs emitted from mycobacterial cultures can be used to identify bacterial growth and, in addition, to differentiate between different bacterial strains. VOC emission patterns may be used to approximate bacterial growth density. In a perspective volatile marker substances could be used to

Volatile emissions from Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis mirror bacterial growth and enable distinction of different strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Trefz, Phillip; Koehler, Heike; Klepik, Klaus; Moebius, Petra; Reinhold, Petra; Schubert, Jochen K; Miekisch, Wolfram

2013-01-01

Control of paratuberculosis in livestock is hampered by the low sensitivity of established direct and indirect diagnostic methods. Like other bacteria, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Differences of VOC patterns in breath and feces of infected and not infected animals were described in first pilot experiments but detailed information on potential marker substances is missing. This study was intended to look for characteristic volatile substances in the headspace of cultures of different MAP strains and to find out how the emission of VOCs was affected by density of bacterial growth. One laboratory adapted and four field strains, three of MAP C-type and one MAP S-type were cultivated on Herrold's egg yolk medium in dilutions of 10(-0), 10(-2), 10(-4) and 10(-6). Volatile substances were pre-concentrated from the headspace over the MAP cultures by means of Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME), thermally desorbed from the SPME fibers and separated and identified by means of GC-MS. Out of the large number of compounds found in the headspace over MAP cultures, 34 volatile marker substances could be identified as potential biomarkers for growth and metabolic activity. All five MAP strains could clearly be distinguished from blank culture media by means of emission patterns based on these 34 substances. In addition, patterns of volatiles emitted by the reference strain were significantly different from the field strains. Headspace concentrations of 2-ethylfuran, 2-methylfuran, 3-methylfuran, 2-pentylfuran, ethyl acetate, 1-methyl-1-H-pyrrole and dimethyldisulfide varied with density of bacterial growth. Analysis of VOCs emitted from mycobacterial cultures can be used to identify bacterial growth and, in addition, to differentiate between different bacterial strains. VOC emission patterns may be used to approximate bacterial growth density. In a perspective volatile marker substances could be used to diagnose MAP

Psychosocial Job Strain and Sleep Quality Interaction Leading to Insufficient Recovery

OpenAIRE

Rydstedt, Leif W.; Devereux, Jason J.

2013-01-01

The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of job strain and sleep quality on the diurnal pattern of cortisol reactivity, measured by awakening and evening (10 PM) saliva cortisol. The sample consisted of 76 British white-collar workers (24 women, 52 men; mean age 45.8 years). Sleep quality and job strain were assessed in a survey distributed just before the cortisol sampling. Both input variables were dichotomized about the median and factorial ANOVA was used for the statistical analy...

Effect of mercuric ions on growth and respiration of two coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus strains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tynecka, Z; Szymona, O

1966-01-01

Sensitivity toward HgCl/sub 2/ of two coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus strains has been studied. Strain 15 proved to be over 10 times more resistant to HgCl/sub 2/ in the growth test than strain 31. The former showed also higher rates of endogenous respiration and more actively oxidized glucose in presence of HgCl/sub 2/. Strain 31 grew better in absence of HgCl/sub 2/ but readily underwent inhibition both in the growth and glucose oxidation experiment. Strain 31 was, however, less sensitive to HgCl/sub 2/, as detected by methylene blue reduction in presence of malate and succinate as substrates. Cysteine largely reversed the inhibitory effect of mercuric ions. Experiments with radioactive Hg/sup 203/Cl/sub 2/ did not prove the sensitive strain 31 to bind more mercuric ions than strain 15. 12 references, 4 figures, 4 tables.

[Characteristic of clinical strains of gram-negative obligate anaerobes].

Science.gov (United States)

Kadzielska, Joanna; Kierzkowska, Marta; Sawicka-Grzelak, Anna; Rokosz, Alicja; Łuczak, Mirosław

2007-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility profiles ofGram-negative strictly anaerobic bacteria isolated from clinical specimens taken from hospitalized patients in 2005-2006. Biochemical identification and antibiotic susceptibility were done in an automated system ATB Expression (bioMerieux sa). From 12262 specimens examined 867 strains of obligate anaerobes were isolated. Gram-negative strictly anaerobic bacteria were cultured in number of 138 strains (15,9%). All cultures were performed on Columbia agar and Schaedler agar media (bioMerieux sa) supplemented with 5% sheep blood and incubated at 37 degrees C for 48-120 h in 85% N2, 10% H2, 5% CO2. Most frequently isolated was Bacteroides spp. (41,3%). For this group beta-lactamase activity was evaluated by using nitrocefin disc test (Cefinase BBL, Becton Dickinson and Co., Cockeysville, MD, USA). Production of ESBLs was detected with the use of two disc diffusion methods: the double-disc synergy test (DDST) according to Jarlier et al. and the diagnostic disc (DD) test according to Appleton. ESBLs were produced by 5,3% strains of Bacteroides spp. For all Bacteroides spp. strains MIC values were determined by gradient diffusion method Etest (AB BIODISK, Sweden). ESBLs and MIC were performed on Wilkins-Chalgren solid medium supplemented with 5% sheep blood (Difco Lab., USA) and all plates were incubated at 35 degrees C for 48 hours in 85% N2, 10% H2, 5% CO2. Most Gram-negative obligate anaerobes isolated from clinical specimens are still susceptible to imipenem (100%), metronidazole (99,3%) and beta-lactam antibiotics with beta-lactamase inhibitors: piperacillin/tazobactam (99,3%), ticarcillin/clavulanate (99.3%), amoxicillin/clavulanate (97.8%).

Strain and thermal conductivity in ultrathin suspended silicon nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Daniel; Sigg, Hans; Spolenak, Ralph; Ekinci, Yasin

2017-09-01

We report on the uniaxial strain and thermal conductivity of well-ordered, suspended silicon nanowire arrays between 10 to 20 nm width and 22 nm half-pitch, fabricated by extreme-ultraviolet (UV) interference lithography. Laser-power-dependent Raman spectroscopy showed that nanowires connected monolithically to the bulk had a consistent strain of ˜0.1 % , whereas nanowires clamped by metal exhibited variability and high strain of up to 2.3%, having implications in strain engineering of nanowires. The thermal conductivity at room temperature was measured to be ˜1 W /m K for smooth nanowires and ˜0.1 W /m K for rougher ones, similar to results by other investigators. We found no modification of the bulk properties in terms of intrinsic scattering, and therefore, the decrease in thermal conductivity is mainly due to boundary scattering. Different types of surface roughness, such as constrictions and line-edge roughness, may play roles in the scattering of phonons of different wavelengths. Such low thermal conductivities would allow for very efficient thermal energy harvesting, approaching and passing values achieved by state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials.

Hydrocarbon degradation, plant colonization and gene expression of alkane degradation genes by endophytic Enterobacter ludwigii strains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yousaf, Sohail; Afzal, Muhammad; Reichenauer, Thomas G.; Brady, Carrie L.; Sessitsch, Angela

2011-01-01

The genus Enterobacter comprises a range of beneficial plant-associated bacteria showing plant growth promotion. Enterobacter ludwigii belongs to the Enterobacter cloacae complex and has been reported to include human pathogens but also plant-associated strains with plant beneficial capacities. To assess the role of Enterobacter endophytes in hydrocarbon degradation, plant colonization, abundance and expression of CYP153 genes in different plant compartments, three plant species (Italian ryegrass, birdsfoot trefoil and alfalfa) were grown in sterile soil spiked with 1% diesel and inoculated with three endophytic E. ludwigii strains. Results showed that all strains were capable of hydrocarbon degradation and efficiently colonized the rhizosphere and plant interior. Two strains, ISI10-3 and BRI10-9, showed highest degradation rates of diesel fuel up to 68% and performed best in combination with Italian ryegrass and alfalfa. All strains expressed the CYP153 gene in all plant compartments, indicating an active role in degradation of diesel in association with plants. - Highlights: → E. ludwigii strains efficiently colonized plants in a non-sterile soil environment. → E. ludwigii strains efficiently expressed alkane degradation genes in plants. → E. ludwigii efficiently degraded alkane contaminations and promoted plant growth. → E. ludwigii interacted more effectively with Italian ryegrass than with other plants. → Degradation activity varied with plant and microbial genotype as well as with time. - Enterobacter ludwigii strains belonging to the E. cloacae complex are able to efficiently degrade alkanes when associated with plants and to promote plant growth.

Hydrocarbon degradation, plant colonization and gene expression of alkane degradation genes by endophytic Enterobacter ludwigii strains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yousaf, Sohail [AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Bioresources Unit, A-2444 Seibersdorf (Austria); Afzal, Muhammad [AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Bioresources Unit, A-2444 Seibersdorf (Austria); National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad (Pakistan); Reichenauer, Thomas G. [AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Environmental Resources and Technologies Unit, A-2444 Seibersdorf (Austria); Brady, Carrie L. [Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria (South Africa); Sessitsch, Angela, E-mail: angela.sessitsch@ait.ac.at [AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Bioresources Unit, A-2444 Seibersdorf (Austria)

2011-10-15

The genus Enterobacter comprises a range of beneficial plant-associated bacteria showing plant growth promotion. Enterobacter ludwigii belongs to the Enterobacter cloacae complex and has been reported to include human pathogens but also plant-associated strains with plant beneficial capacities. To assess the role of Enterobacter endophytes in hydrocarbon degradation, plant colonization, abundance and expression of CYP153 genes in different plant compartments, three plant species (Italian ryegrass, birdsfoot trefoil and alfalfa) were grown in sterile soil spiked with 1% diesel and inoculated with three endophytic E. ludwigii strains. Results showed that all strains were capable of hydrocarbon degradation and efficiently colonized the rhizosphere and plant interior. Two strains, ISI10-3 and BRI10-9, showed highest degradation rates of diesel fuel up to 68% and performed best in combination with Italian ryegrass and alfalfa. All strains expressed the CYP153 gene in all plant compartments, indicating an active role in degradation of diesel in association with plants. - Highlights: > E. ludwigii strains efficiently colonized plants in a non-sterile soil environment. > E. ludwigii strains efficiently expressed alkane degradation genes in plants. > E. ludwigii efficiently degraded alkane contaminations and promoted plant growth. > E. ludwigii interacted more effectively with Italian ryegrass than with other plants. > Degradation activity varied with plant and microbial genotype as well as with time. - Enterobacter ludwigii strains belonging to the E. cloacae complex are able to efficiently degrade alkanes when associated with plants and to promote plant growth.

Potential of Trichoderma spp. strains for the bioremediation of soils contaminated with petroleum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcia Pesántez

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Fungi species can degrade xenobiotic compounds contaminating the soil, including hydrocarbons. The objective of this work was to determine the potential of three strains of Trichoderma, isolated from soil contaminated with petroleum, for bioremediation. Trichoderma harzianum CCECH-Te1, Trichoderma viride CCECH-Te2 and Trichoderma psedokoningii CCECH-Te3 were included in one assay with each independent strain. The inoculum was adjusted to a concentration of 1x1010 conidia ml-1 which was applied to soil contaminated by an oil spill. After 96 days of inoculation, soil samples were taken at 10 and 15 cm depth. The content of total hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals such as cadmium, nickel and lead were determined. With the data, it was calculated the percentage of removal of the analyzed compounds by each strain. At 10 cm and 15 cm depth, it was observed the removal of the compounds in percentages that reached between 47 and 69.1% in the hydrocarbons and up to 53.72% in the heavy metals. It which denoted the potential of the three strains for bioremediation in contaminated soils.   Keywords: heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, xenobiotic compounds

Enhanced resistance to both γ rays and neutrons in a Li-Fraumeni syndrome strain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gentner, N.E.; Smith, B.P.; Mirzayans, R.; Paterson, M.C.

1985-01-01

The authors have been investigating the radioresistance (RR) phenotype in a fibroblast strain derived from an affected member in a Li-Fraumeni syndrome family. The strain's D(10) value for acute exposure to Co-60 γ rays is 5.59+-0.42 Cy, compared to a composite value of 3.82+-0.09 Gy for normal controls. This difference is highly significant, giving a dose enhancement factor (DEF) of 1.46. The RR trait is independent of radiation quality in that the strain manifests the same degree of resistance (DEF=1.45) for high LET (14 MeV neutrons) radiation [D(10)=2.92 Gy, vs 2.01 Gy for ''normal'']. In contrast, the dose reduction factor for radiosensitive ataxia telangiectasia strains is diminished for 14 MeV neutrons (1.6) compared to γ rays (2.9), a finding consistent with a deficiency in DNA repair. In keeping with these combined data, the RR phenotype cannot be ascribed to a hyperactive repair process, since several conventional assays have yielded normal kinetics for the removal of radiogenic damage in the RR strain. Rather, its radioresistance may stem from a peculiar ability to ''buy more time'' for repair of non-coding lesions in DNA

Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Personnel of Jahrom Hospitals in 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Saadat

2014-01-01

Undo edits Methods: In this cross - sectional study, 397 of the anterior nasal samples of medical personnel and hospital services were collected by swab. The identification of S.aureus was determined by biochemical tests and microbiology, and the antibiotic resistances of isolates were determined by disk diffusion method for 13 antibiotics. In this method, the inhibition zone for methicillin-resistant strains was ≤ 10 mm the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC against antibiotic vancomycin, ticoplanin, linezolid and synercid were determined by E-test method. Results: In the present study, 11.3% of personals carried S. aureus in the nose. Among them, 90% were health care workers and 10% were health service workers. The most sensitivity was observed resistance to Ciprofloxacin, rifampin, linezolid and synercid (91.1%, but the lowest sensitivity was to penicillin (4.7%. of 9 MRSA strains, 1 strain was resistance to vancomycin and 2 strains were resistant to teicoplanin and linezolid. Conclusion: Because of S. aureus strains isolated from hospital staffs were resistant to most common antibiotics, identification and treatment of health care and health service workers can prevent nosocomial infections. Key words: Staphylococcu aureus carriers, hospital personnel, antibiotic resistance.

WIPP Benchmark calculations with the large strain SPECTROM codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callahan, G.D.; DeVries, K.L.

1995-08-01

This report provides calculational results from the updated Lagrangian structural finite-element programs SPECTROM-32 and SPECTROM-333 for the purpose of qualifying these codes to perform analyses of structural situations in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Results are presented for the Second WIPP Benchmark (Benchmark II) Problems and for a simplified heated room problem used in a parallel design calculation study. The Benchmark II problems consist of an isothermal room problem and a heated room problem. The stratigraphy involves 27 distinct geologic layers including ten clay seams of which four are modeled as frictionless sliding interfaces. The analyses of the Benchmark II problems consider a 10-year simulation period. The evaluation of nine structural codes used in the Benchmark II problems shows that inclusion of finite-strain effects is not as significant as observed for the simplified heated room problem, and a variety of finite-strain and small-strain formulations produced similar results. The simplified heated room problem provides stratigraphic complexity equivalent to the Benchmark II problems but neglects sliding along the clay seams. The simplified heated problem does, however, provide a calculational check case where the small strain-formulation produced room closures about 20 percent greater than those obtained using finite-strain formulations. A discussion is given of each of the solved problems, and the computational results are compared with available published results. In general, the results of the two SPECTROM large strain codes compare favorably with results from other codes used to solve the problems

Fano Factor in Strained Graphene Nanoribbon Nanodevices

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Walid Soliman; Mina D.Asham; Adel H.Phillips

2017-01-01

We investigate the Fano factor in a strained armchair and zigzag graphene nanoribbon nanodevice under the effect of ac field in a wide range of frequencies at different temperatures (10 K T0 K).This nanodevice is modeled as follows:a graphene nanoribbon is connected to two metallic leads.These two metallic leads operate as a source and a drain.The conducting substance is the gate electrode in this three-terminal nanodevice.Another metallic gate is used to govern the electrostatics and the switching of the graphene nanoribbon channel The substances at the graphene nanoribbon/metal contact are controlled by the back gate.The photon-assisted tunneling probability is deduced by solving the Dirac eigenvalue differential equation in which the Fano factor is expressed in terms of this tunneling probability.The results show that for the investigated nanodevice,the Fano factor decreases as the frequency of the induced ac field increases,while it increases as the temperature increases.In general,the Fano factors for both strained armchair and zigzag graphene nanoribbons are different.This is due to the effect of the uniaxial strain.It is shown that the band structure parameters of graphene nanoribbons at the energy gap,the C-C bond length,the hopping integral,the Fermi energy and the width are modulated by uniaxial strain.This research gives us a promise of the present nanodevice being used for digital nanoelectronics and sensors.

Epstein-Barr virus strains and variations: Geographic or disease-specific variants?

Science.gov (United States)

Neves, Marco; Marinho-Dias, Joana; Ribeiro, Joana; Sousa, Hugo

2017-03-01

The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is associated with the development of several diseases, including infectious mononucleosis (IM), Burkitt's Lymphoma (BL), Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, and other neoplasias. The publication of EBV genome 1984 led to several studies regarding the identification of different viral strains. Currently, EBV is divided into EBV type 1 (B95-8 strain) and EBV type 2 (AG876 strain), also known as type A and type B, which have been distinguished based upon genetic differences in the Epstein-Barr nuclear antigens (EBNAs) sequence. Several other EBV strains have been described in the past 10 years considering variations on EBV genome, and many have attempted to clarify if these variations are ethnic or geographically correlated, or if they are disease related. Indeed, there is an increasing interest to describe possible specific disease associations, with emphasis on different malignancies. These studies aim to clarify if these variations are ethnic or geographically correlated, or if they are disease related, thus being important to characterize the epidemiologic genetic distribution of EBV strains on our population. Here, we review the current knowledge on the different EBV strains and variants and its association with different diseases. J. Med. Virol. 89:373-387, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Strain mapping near a triple junction in strained Ni-based alloy using EBSD and biaxial nanogauges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clair, A. [Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne, UMR 5209 CNRS, Universite de Bourgogne, 9 Avenue Alain Savary, BP 47870, 21078 Dijon Cedex (France); Foucault, M.; Calonne, O. [Areva ANP, Centre Technique Departement Corrosion-Chimie, 30 Bd de l' industrie, BP 181, 71205 Le Creusot (France); Lacroute, Y.; Markey, L.; Salazar, M.; Vignal, V. [Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne, UMR 5209 CNRS, Universite de Bourgogne, 9 Avenue Alain Savary, BP 47870, 21078 Dijon Cedex (France); Finot, E., E-mail: Eric.Finot@u-bourgogne.fr [Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne, UMR 5209 CNRS, Universite de Bourgogne, 9 Avenue Alain Savary, BP 47870, 21078 Dijon Cedex (France)

2011-05-15

Research highlights: > Surface strains measured using nanogauge were compared to the texture obtained by EBSD. > Statistics of the principal strain discern the grains according to the Schmid factor. > Strain hotspots were localized near a triple junction of alloy 600 under tensile loading. > Asymetrical profile of the GB strains is a criterion for surface cracking initiation. - Abstract: A key element for analyzing the crack initiation in strained polycrystalline alloys is the local quantification of the surface strain distribution according to the grain texture. Using electron backscattered diffraction, the local microstructure was determined to both localize a triple junction and deduce the local Schmid factors. Kernel average misorientation (KAM) was also used to map the areas of defect concentration. The maximum principal strain and the in-plane shear strain were quantified using the biaxial nanogauge. Distortions of the array of nanodots used as spot markers were analyzed near the triple junction. The crystallographic orientation and the surface strain were then investigated both statistically for each grain and locally at the grain boundaries. The superimposition of microstructure and strain maps allows the high strain gradient (reaching 3-fold the applied strain) to be localized at preferential grain boundaries near the triple junction. The Schmid factors and the KAM were compared to the maximum principal strain and the in-plane shear strain respectively. The polycrystalline deformation was attributable first to the rotation of some grains, followed by the elongation of all grains along their preferential activated slip systems.

Characterization of Brucella abortus mutant strain Δ22915, a potential vaccine candidate.

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Yanqing; Tian, Mingxing; Li, Peng; Liu, Jiameng; Ding, Chan; Yu, Shengqing

2017-04-04

Brucellosis, caused by Brucella spp., is an important zoonosis worldwide. Vaccination is an effective strategy for protection against Brucella infection in livestock in developing countries and in wildlife in developed countries. However, current vaccine strains including S19 and RB51 are pathogenic to humans and pregnant animals, limiting their use. In this study, we constructed the Brucella abortus (B. abortus) S2308 mutant strain Δ22915, in which the putative lytic transglycosylase gene BAB_RS22915 was deleted. The biological properties of mutant strain Δ22915 were characterized and protection of mice against virulent S2308 challenge was evaluated. The mutant strain Δ22915 showed reduced survival within RAW264.7 cells and survival in vivo in mice. In addition, the mutant strain Δ22915 failed to escape fusion with lysosomes within host cells, and caused no observable pathological damage. RNA-seq analysis indicated that four genes associated with amino acid/nucleotide transport and metabolism were significantly upregulated in mutant strain Δ22915. Furthermore, inoculation of ∆22915 at 10 5 colony forming units induced effective host immune responses and long-term protection of BALB/c mice. Therefore, mutant strain ∆22915 could be used as a novel vaccine candidate in the future to protect animals against B. abortus infection.

A New Heterotrophic Strain for Bioleaching of Low Grade Complex Copper Ore

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaijian Hu

2016-02-01

Full Text Available A new heterotrophic strain, named Providencia sp. JAT-1, was isolated and used in bioleaching of low-grade complex copper ore. The strain uses sodium citrate as a carbon source and urea as a nitrogen source to produce ammonia. The optimal growth condition of the strain is 30 C, initial pH 8, sodium citrate 10 g/L and urea 20 g/L, under which the cell density and ammonia concentration in the medium reached a maximum of 4.83 × 108 cells/mL and 14 g/L, respectively. Ammonia produced by the strain is used as the main lixiviant in bioleaching. Bioleaching results revealed that higher strain growth led to a higher copper recovery, while higher pulp density will cause a greater inhibitory effect on strain growth and ammonia production. The copper extraction reached the highest value of 54.5% at the pulp density of 1%. Malachite, chrysocolla and chalcocite are easy to leach out in this bioleaching system while chalcopyrite is difficult. Results of comparative leaching experiments show that bioleaching using JAT-1 is superior to ammonia leaching at the same condition. The metabolites produced by the strain other than ammonia are also involved in bioleaching.

Measurement of minute local strain in semiconductor materials and electronic devices by using a highly parallel X-ray microbeam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsui, J.; Tsusaka, Y.; Yokoyama, K.; Takeda, S.; Katou, M.; Kurihara, H.; Watanabe, K.; Kagoshima, Y.; Kimura, S.

2003-01-01

We have developed an X-ray microbeam with a small angular divergence by adopting X-ray optics with successive use of asymmetric Bragg reflection from silicon crystals for the both polarizations of the synchrotron X-rays. The microbeam actually obtained is several microns in size and possesses an angular divergence of less than 2 arcsec which enables us to measure the strain of 10 -5 -10 -6 . By scanning the sample against the microbeam, distribution of the minute local strain in various regions of semiconductor crystals for electronic devices, e.g., the strain around the SiO 2 /Si film edge in silicon devices, the strain in an InGaAsP/InP stripe laser were measured

Strain on the san andreas fault near palmdale, california: rapid, aseismic change.

Science.gov (United States)

Savage, J C; Prescott, W H; Lisowski, M; King, N E

1981-01-02

Frequently repeated strain measurements near Palmdale, California, during the period from 1971 through 1980 indicate that, in addition to a uniform accumulation of right-lateral shear strain (engineering shear, 0.35 microradian per year) across the San Andreas fault, a 1-microstrain contraction perpendicular to the fault that accumulated gradually during the interval 1974 through 1978 was aseismically released between February and November 1979. Subsequently (November 1979 to March 1980), about half of the contraction was recovered. This sequence of strain changes can be explained in terms of south-southwestward migration of a slip event consisting of the south-southwestward movement of the upper crust on a horizontal detachment surface at a depth of 10 to 30 kilometers. The large strain change in 1979 corresponds to the passage of the slip event beneath the San Andreas fault.

Coaggregation between probiotic bacteria and caries-associated strains: An in vitro study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Twetman, Lisa; Larsen, Ulla; Fiehn, Nils-Erik

2009-01-01

Objective. To evaluate the in vitro abilities of probiotic bacteria derived from consumer products to coaggregate with caries-associated mutans streptococci. Material and Methods. Six lactobacillus strains (L. acidophilus (CCUG 5917), L. plantarum 299v, L. rhamnosus GG and LB21, L. paracasei F19, L....... A gastrointestinal pathogen (Escherichia coli) was aerobically cultivated on BHI broth as a positive control. After incubation, the bacteria were aerobically harvested, washed, and suspended in 10 mmol/l phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.2). The probiotic strains were characterized with the API 50 CH system to confirm...... their identity. Coaggregation was determined by spectrophotometry in mixtures and bacterial suspensions alone after 1, 2, 4, and 24 h and expressed as the aggregation ratio (%). Results. All probiotic strains showed coaggregation abilities with the oral pathogens and the results were strain specific...

Comparative proteome analysis of Helicobacter pylori clinical strains by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ya-nan; Ding, Shi-gang; Huang, Liu-huan; Zhang, Jing; Shi, Yan-yan; Zhong, Li-jun

2011-10-01

To investigate the pathogenic properties of Helicobacter pylori by comparing the proteome map of H. pylori clinical strains. Two wild-type H. pylori strains, YN8 (isolated from biopsy tissue of a gastric cancer patient) and YN14 (isolated from biopsy tissue of a gastritis and duodenal ulcer patient), were used. Proteomic analysis, using a pH range of 3-10 and 5-8, was performed. The individual proteins were identified by quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometer and protein database search. Variation in spot patterns directed towards differential protein expression levels was observed between the strains. The gel revealed prominent proteins with several protein "families". The comparison of protein expressions of the two strains reveals a high variability. Differentially present or absent spots were observed. Nine differentially expressed protein spots identified by Q-TOF included adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding protein, disulfide oxidoreductase B (DsbB)-like protein, N utilization substance A (NusA), ATP-dependent protease binding subunit/heat shock protein, hydantoin utilization protein A, seryl-tRNA synthetase, molybdenum ABC transporter ModD, and hypothetical proteins. This study suggests that H. pylori strains express/repress protein variation, not only in terms of the virulence proteins, but also in terms of physiological proteins, when they infect a human host. The difference of protein expression levels between H. pylori strains isolated from gastric cancer and gastritis may be the initiator of inflammation, and result in the different clinical presentation. In this preliminary study, we report seven differential proteins between strains, with molecule weights from approximately 10 kDa to approximately 40 kDa. Further studies are needed to investigate those proteins and their function associated with H. pylori colonization and adaptation to host environment stress.

Salt stress-induced changes in antioxidative defense system and proteome profiles of salt-tolerant and sensitive Frankia strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Amrita; Singh, Anumeha; Singh, Satya S; Mishra, Arun K

2017-04-16

An appreciation of comparative microbial survival is most easily done while evaluating their adaptive strategies during stress. In the present experiment, antioxidative and whole cell proteome variations based on spectrophotometric analysis and SDS-PAGE and 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis have been analysed among salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive Frankia strains. This is the first report of proteomic basis underlying salt tolerance in these newly isolated Frankia strains from Hippophae salicifolia D. Don. Salt-tolerant strain HsIi10 shows higher increment in the contents of superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase as compared to salt-sensitive strain HsIi8. Differential 2-DGE profile has revealed differential profiles for salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive strains. Proteomic confirmation of salt tolerance in the strains with inbuilt efficiency of thriving in nitrogen-deficient locales is a definite advantage for these microbes. This would be equally beneficial for improvement of soil nitrogen status. Efficient protein regulation in HsIi10 suggests further exploration for its potential use as biofertilizer in saline soils.

Solitary waves in morphogenesis: Determination fronts as strain-cued strain transformations among automatous cells

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Brian N.; Landis, Chad M.

2018-02-01

We present a simple theory of a strain pulse propagating as a solitary wave through a continuous two-dimensional population of cells. A critical strain is assumed to trigger a strain transformation, while, simultaneously, cells move as automata to tend to restore a preferred cell density. We consider systems in which the strain transformation is a shape change, a burst of proliferation, or the commencement of growth (which changes the shape of the population sheet), and demonstrate isomorphism among these cases. Numerical and analytical solutions describe a strain pulse whose height does not depend on how the strain disturbance was first launched, or the rate at which the strain transformation is achieved, or the rate constant in the rule for the restorative cell motion. The strain pulse is therefore very stable, surviving the imposition of strong perturbations: it would serve well as a timing signal in development. The automatous wave formulation is simple, with few model parameters. A strong case exists for the presence of a strain pulse during amelogenesis. Quantitative analysis reveals a simple relationship between the velocity of the leading edge of the pulse in amelogenesis and the known speed of migration of ameloblast cells. This result and energy arguments support the depiction of wave motion as an automatous cell response to strain, rather than as a response to an elastic energy gradient. The theory may also contribute to understanding the determination front in somitogenesis, moving fronts of convergent-extension transformation, and mitotic wavefronts in the syncytial drosophila embryo.

Performance of different strains of Pleurotus species under ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

P. citrinopileatus strain PCB did not produce any fruiting bodies during the period of study. Significant differences (P<0.05) in yield of the different species of mushrooms were recorded. Keywords: Mushrooms, flushes, biological efficiency. J Food Tech in Africa (2002) 7, 98-100. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jfta.v7i3.19240.

Comparative strain analysis of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection and clinical outcomes in a canine model of granulocytic anaplasmosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Scorpio, Diana G; Dumler, J Stephen; Barat, Nicole C; Cook, Judith A; Barat, Christopher E; Stillman, Brett A; DeBisceglie, Kristen C; Beall, Melissa J; Chandrashekar, Ramaswamy

2011-03-01

A pilot study was conducted to determine whether existing human or canine strains of Anaplasma phagocytophilum would reproduce clinical disease in experimentally inoculated dogs similar to dogs with naturally acquired granulocytic anaplasmosis. Six hounds were inoculated intravenously with one human and two canine strains of A. phagocytophilum that were propagated in vitro in HL-60 cells or in infected autologous neutrophils. Infected dogs were monitored for lethargy, anorexia, petechiae, lymphadenopathy, and fever. Dogs were assessed for complete blood count (CBC), serum chemistry, and serology (IFA and SNAP® 4Dx®); for A. phagocytophilum blood load by quantitative polymerase chain reaction; and for cytokine production. Prominent clinical signs were generalized lymphadenopathy and scleral injection; only one dog developed fever lasting 4 days. Notable laboratory alterations included sustained leukopenia and thrombocytopenia in all dogs. A. phagocytophilum morulae were noted in blood between days 10 and 11, although all dogs retained A. phagocytophilum DNA in blood through day 60. All dogs seroconverted by days 10-15 by IFA, and by days 17-30 by SNAP 4Dx; cytokine analyses revealed 10-fold increases in interleukin-2 and interleukin-18 in the neutrophil-propagated 98E4 strain-infected dog. All A. phagocytophilum strains produced infection, although canine 98E4 strain reproduced clinical signs, hematologic changes, and inflammatory cytokine elevations most consistent with granulocytic anaplasmosis when recognized clinically. Therefore, this strain should be considered for use in future studies of A. phagocytophilum canine infection models.

High strain amount in recessed junctions induced by selectively deposited boron-doped SiGe layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radamson, H.H. [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) Isafjordsg. 22-26, Electrum 229, 16640 Kista (Sweden)], E-mail: rad@kth.se; Kolahdouz, M.; Ghandi, R.; Ostling, M. [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) Isafjordsg. 22-26, Electrum 229, 16640 Kista (Sweden)

2008-12-05

This work presents the selective epitaxial growth (SEG) of Si{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x} (x = 0.15-0.315) layers with high amount of boron (1 x 10{sup 20}-1 x 10{sup 21} cm{sup -3}) in recessed or unprocessed (elevated) openings for source/drain applications in CMOS has been studied. The influence of the growth rate and strain on boron incorporation has been studied. A focus has been made on the strain distribution and boron incorporation in SEG of SiGe layers.

Distributed perfluorinated POF strain sensor using OTDR and OFDR techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Liehr, Sascha; Wendt, Mario; Krebber, Katerina

2009-10-01

This paper presents the latest advances in distributed strain sensing using perfluorinated (PF) polymer optical fibers (POF). Compared to previously introduced PMMA POF strain sensors, PF POF have the advantage of lower loss and therefore extended measurement length of more than 500 m at increased spatial resolution of 10 cm. It is shown that PF POF can measure strain distributed up to 100 %. The characteristic backscatter signature of this fiber type provides additional evaluation possibilities. We show that, by applying a cross-correlation algorithm to the backscatter signal, the distributed length change can be measured along the fiber. We also present, to our knowledge for the first time, incoherent Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR) in POF to measure distributed reflections and loss along the fiber. The OFDR technique proves superior to existing OTDR techniques in measurement speed, resolution and potential instrument costs.

Inactivation and Gene Expression of a Virulent WastewaterEscherichia coliStrain and the Nonvirulent CommensalEscherichia coliDSM1103 Strain upon Solar Irradiation

KAUST Repository

Aljassim, Nada I.; Mantilla-Calderon, David; Wang, Tiannyu; Hong, Pei-Ying

2017-01-01

This study examined the decay kinetics and molecular responses of two Escherichia coli strains upon solar irradiation. The first is E. coli PI-7, a virulent and antibiotic-resistant strain that was isolated from wastewater and carries the emerging NDM-1 antibiotic resistance gene. The other strain, E. coli DSM1103, displayed lower virulence and antibiotic resistance than E. coli PI-7. In a buffer solution, E. coli PI-7 displayed a longer lag phase prior to decay and a longer half-life compared with E. coli DSM1103 (6.64 ± 0.63 h and 2.85 ± 0.46 min vs 1.33 ± 0.52 h and 2.04 ± 0.36 min). In wastewater, both E. coli strains decayed slower than they did in buffer. Although solar irradiation remained effective in reducing the numbers of both strains by more than 5-log10 in <24 h, comparative genomics and transcriptomics revealed differences in the genomes and overall regulation of genes between the two E. coli strains. A wider arsenal of genes related to oxidative stress, cellular repair and protective mechanisms were upregulated in E. coli PI-7. Subpopulations of E. coli PI-7 expressed genes related to dormancy and persister cell formation during the late decay phase, which may have accounted for its prolonged persistence. Upon prolonged solar irradiation, both E. coli strains displayed upregulation of genes related to horizontal gene transfer and antibiotic resistance. Virulence functions unique to E. coli PI-7 were also upregulated. Our findings collectively indicated that, whereas solar irradiation is able to reduce total cell numbers, viable E. coli remained and expressed genes that enable survival despite solar treatment. There remains a need for heightened levels of concern regarding risks arising from the dissemination of E. coli that may remain viable in wastewater after solar irradiation.

Inactivation and Gene Expression of a Virulent WastewaterEscherichia coliStrain and the Nonvirulent CommensalEscherichia coliDSM1103 Strain upon Solar Irradiation

KAUST Repository

Aljassim, Nada I.

2017-03-06

This study examined the decay kinetics and molecular responses of two Escherichia coli strains upon solar irradiation. The first is E. coli PI-7, a virulent and antibiotic-resistant strain that was isolated from wastewater and carries the emerging NDM-1 antibiotic resistance gene. The other strain, E. coli DSM1103, displayed lower virulence and antibiotic resistance than E. coli PI-7. In a buffer solution, E. coli PI-7 displayed a longer lag phase prior to decay and a longer half-life compared with E. coli DSM1103 (6.64 ± 0.63 h and 2.85 ± 0.46 min vs 1.33 ± 0.52 h and 2.04 ± 0.36 min). In wastewater, both E. coli strains decayed slower than they did in buffer. Although solar irradiation remained effective in reducing the numbers of both strains by more than 5-log10 in <24 h, comparative genomics and transcriptomics revealed differences in the genomes and overall regulation of genes between the two E. coli strains. A wider arsenal of genes related to oxidative stress, cellular repair and protective mechanisms were upregulated in E. coli PI-7. Subpopulations of E. coli PI-7 expressed genes related to dormancy and persister cell formation during the late decay phase, which may have accounted for its prolonged persistence. Upon prolonged solar irradiation, both E. coli strains displayed upregulation of genes related to horizontal gene transfer and antibiotic resistance. Virulence functions unique to E. coli PI-7 were also upregulated. Our findings collectively indicated that, whereas solar irradiation is able to reduce total cell numbers, viable E. coli remained and expressed genes that enable survival despite solar treatment. There remains a need for heightened levels of concern regarding risks arising from the dissemination of E. coli that may remain viable in wastewater after solar irradiation.

Full-range stress–strain behaviour of contemporary pipeline steels: Part II. Estimation of model parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hertelé, Stijn; De Waele, Wim; Denys, Rudi; Verstraete, Matthias

2012-01-01

Contemporary pipeline steels with a yield-to-tensile ratio above 0.80 often show two-stages of strain hardening, which cannot be simultaneously described by the standardized Ramberg–Osgood model. A companion paper (Part I) showed that the recently developed UGent model provides more accurate descriptions than the Ramberg–Osgood model, as it succeeds in describing both strain hardening stages. However, it may be challenging to obtain an optimal model fit in absence of full stress–strain data. This paper discusses on how to find suited parameter values for the UGent model, given a set of measurable tensile test characteristics. The proposed methodology shows good results for an extensive set of investigated experimental stress–strain curves. Next to some common tensile test characteristics, the 1.0% proof stress is needed. The authors therefore encourage the acquisition of this stress during tensile tests. - Highlights: ► An analytical procedure estimates UGent model parameters. ► The procedure requires a set of tensile test characteristics. ► The UGent model performs better than the Ramberg–Osgood model. ► Apart from common characteristics, the 1.0% proof stress is required. ► The authors encourage the acquisition of this 1.0% proof stress.

Enhanced Strain Measurement Range of an FBG Sensor Embedded in Seven-Wire Steel Strands.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jae-Min; Kim, Chul-Min; Choi, Song-Yi; Lee, Bang Yeon

2017-07-18

FBG sensors offer many advantages, such as a lack of sensitivity to electromagnetic waves, small size, high durability, and high sensitivity. However, their maximum strain measurement range is lower than the yield strain range (about 1.0%) of steel strands when embedded in steel strands. This study proposes a new FBG sensing technique in which an FBG sensor is recoated with polyimide and protected by a polyimide tube in an effort to enhance the maximum strain measurement range of FBG sensors embedded in strands. The validation test results showed that the proposed FBG sensing technique has a maximum strain measurement range of 1.73% on average, which is 1.73 times higher than the yield strain of the strands. It was confirmed that recoating the FBG sensor with polyimide and protecting the FBG sensor using a polyimide tube could effectively enhance the maximum strain measurement range of FBG sensors embedded in strands.

Neuromuscular Strain Increases Symptom Intensity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter C Rowe

Full Text Available Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS is a complex, multisystem disorder that can be disabling. CFS symptoms can be provoked by increased physical or cognitive activity, and by orthostatic stress. In preliminary work, we noted that CFS symptoms also could be provoked by application of longitudinal neural and soft tissue strain to the limbs and spine of affected individuals. In this study we measured the responses to a straight leg raise neuromuscular strain maneuver in individuals with CFS and healthy controls. We randomly assigned 60 individuals with CFS and 20 healthy controls to either a 15 minute period of passive supine straight leg raise (true neuromuscular strain or a sham straight leg raise. The primary outcome measure was the symptom intensity difference between the scores during and 24 hours after the study maneuver compared to baseline. Fatigue, body pain, lightheadedness, concentration difficulties, and headache scores were measured individually on a 0-10 scale, and summed to create a composite symptom score. Compared to individuals with CFS in the sham strain group, those with CFS in the true strain group reported significantly increased body pain (P = 0.04 and concentration difficulties (P = 0.02 as well as increased composite symptom scores (all P = 0.03 during the maneuver. After 24 hours, the symptom intensity differences were significantly greater for the CFS true strain group for the individual symptom of lightheadedness (P = 0.001 and for the composite symptom score (P = 0.005. During and 24 hours after the exposure to the true strain maneuver, those with CFS had significantly higher individual and composite symptom intensity changes compared to the healthy controls. We conclude that a longitudinal strain applied to the nerves and soft tissues of the lower limb is capable of increasing symptom intensity in individuals with CFS for up to 24 hours. These findings support our preliminary observations that increased mechanical

Flexible piezotronic strain sensor.